A Cincinnati City Council committee has advanced new rules that would force public parking lots and garages across the city to post an attendant, hire a security guard or install cameras, after police confirmed that at least 100 guns stolen from vehicles in parking lots went on to be used in other crimes. Property owners packed the hearing to object, warning the mandate would gut their bottom lines and eat into the parking spaces the city already relies on.
Committee Advances Public Parking Security Mandate
The committee's vote, reported by FOX19, would require every public parking lot and garage in Cincinnati to have some form of security measure in place, whether that's a human attendant, a hired guard or surveillance cameras. City leaders framed the push as a direct response to public safety concerns, and the Cincinnati Police Department says it verified that at least 100 of the guns stolen from cars in parking lots were later used in other crimes.
The theft figures reflect a growing share of stolen guns taken from vehicles citywide—not just from public parking facilities: Cincinnati recorded 344 vehicle gun thefts in 2023, or 56% of all reported stolen firearms; 298 in 2024, or 61%; and 324 in 2025, or 66%. Through 2026, the share had reached 70%, with 267 firearms reported stolen from vehicles. The trend is laid out in Cincinnati Police Department data cited in the council debate.
Council member Jeffrey Cramerding, who sits on the committee, said the volume of theft happening in the city's surface lots is hard to ignore. “Safety has to come first,” Cramerding said, adding that Cincinnati is experiencing a high number of crimes tied to surface parking lots and that the number of guns stolen out of them is staggering.
Council Member Cites 324 Stolen Guns Last Year
Fellow council member Mark Jeffreys said 324 guns were stolen from cars last year, a figure he used to argue the city can no longer treat lax parking-lot security as a minor issue. Jeffreys said the change could also free up police resources currently spent responding to and investigating those thefts.
Jeffreys compared the proposed mandate to rules Cincinnati already enforces in other industries, noting the city regulates food safety and fire codes. He said he views the parking lot ordinance in a similar light — a baseline safety standard rather than an unusual imposition on business owners.
Property Owners Push Back on Costs and Lost Spaces
Property owners who spoke at the hearing said the mandate amounts to a burden they cannot afford. One property owner argued the ordinance would strip away property rights, while another called for further study of the proposed security measures before the city moves forward. A property owner also questioned whether the mandate would even work, saying cameras or lighting do not currently discourage much of anything.
A property representative went further, warning the ordinance would physically remove a significant number of parking spaces in the city's urban core — spaces the representative said have existed there for years. Parking lot owners broadly warned that meeting the new requirements could mean losing spaces altogether, not just adding equipment.
Police Say Voluntary Efforts Fell Short
Cincinnati Police Captain Hammer said the department tried working with parking lot owners voluntarily for months to address the crime problem before the ordinance took shape. Hammer said the department has not seen changes that would deliver better results for the community, a point city leaders have pointed to as justification for moving toward a mandate rather than continued voluntary cooperation.
One council member said the city currently has few tools available to combat gun violence, pointing to measures such as background checks and red flag laws as examples that exist at other levels of government. That same council member said if the ordinance succeeds in reducing the number of stolen guns that end up used in crimes, it would be worthwhile.
What Happens Next
The city of Cincinnati is already working to help public parking lots and garages meet the proposed standards ahead of any formal requirement. The full ordinance now heads to a citywide council vote on Wednesday, September 30, and if approved, it would take effect in January 2027.
The committee-backed “B” version spells out different requirements for public garages and surface lots: garages would need cameras at entrances and exits or on-site staff during operating hours; lots would need on-site staff or entrance-and-exit cameras plus perimeter fencing or additional cameras covering the perimeter. Camera systems could be registered with Cincinnati’s FUSUS program, connected for police access, or locally monitored. The measure is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, with a six-month grace period for operators making a good-faith effort to comply, under the version that advanced out of committee.
