Council members urge residents to lock vehicles, press for sidewalk fix after safety meeting

Public‑safety concerns took up a substantial portion of Carlisle’s Oct. 22 council meeting as members urged residents to secure vehicles and flagged dangerous pedestrian conditions.

Councilmember Debbie Kemper warned of a recent string of vehicle break‑ins in Carlisle and nearby communities, urging residents to lock cars and remove valuables after several thefts were reported. Kemper said neighbors are finding items taken from unlocked vehicles and described one household that returned home to discover contents taken from an unlocked car.

Michael Kilpatrick raised a separate safety concern from a recent safety meeting: a missing piece of sidewalk on Central Avenue immediately in front of his house forces people with strollers to step into traffic. Kilpatrick called that gap “dangerous” and said he will continue to press for a remedy.

Tim Humphries described a specific, troubling example to underline the stakes: he said a firearm stolen from an unlocked car in Carlisle was later used in a homicide within the past five years. Mayor Randy Winkler and City Manager Chris Lohr urged residents to lock vehicles, remove firearms when not in use and exercise prudent storage practices. Lohr noted that Ohio law (the Ohio Revised Code) limits the extent to which municipalities can regulate firearms, and emphasized personal responsibility as a practical safeguard.

No formal action about new firearm ordinances or sidewalk funding was taken during the meeting; councilmembers expressed intent to continue pursuing infrastructure and public‑safety conversations with staff.