COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Residents of one Ohio city are complaining that police officers are telling them if they're fed up with crime in their neighborhoods they should move out.
At least two Columbus city council members have heard the complaint.
"I've actually heard them say it to me verbally, 'If you don't like it, why don't you move out of the neighborhood,'" said Ganther's Place resident Douglas Mitchell. "Why should the prostitutes and the drugs and the criminals take over the area instead of the police running them out of the area."
An aide to Councilwoman Charleta Tavares says she has received more than 20 calls. Councilman Andrew Ginther says if police are making the comments, they're neither acceptable nor appropriate, though he says he believes most officers want to be helpful.
"(They) actually told us we should move. 'If you don't like what's going on here you should move.' I guess, let the crime people or the people who do the crime take it over," said Allen Carrel, Mitchell's neighbor.
Neither Carrel nor Mitchell have complained about specific officers, but they have complained to the Columbus City Council, which directed the Columbus Division of Police to look into the matter. A police spokesperson said the division will not tolerate such statements and encourages residents to report officers by badge number if they have been offended.
Carrel said he and other Ganther's Place residents will begin tracking their encounters with police.
"From now on we're documenting every call that we make. Every badge number is going to be written down," Carrel said.
A police union official says he understands if officers are frustrated with crime. Fraternal Order of Police President Jim Gilbert says: "It's like the OK Corral out there."
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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