As the city of Youngstown reels from yet another all-too-familiar senseless surge in cold-blooded murders over the past few weeks, tens of thousands of residents and workers in the city have every good reason to be fed up.

As of Tuesday, Youngstown had recorded five homicides so far this year, including three within three days earlier this month. The spate of violence continues a disturbing trend from 2020, when Youngstown logged a 40 percent increase in homicides from 2019.

Beyond the numbers, though, extreme brazenness and deep-seated depravity have punctuated many of these deadly crimes.

Witness the broad-daylight killing of a 19-year-old man shot to death March 5 in rush-hour traffic on Market Street, the city’s major South Side thoroughfare.

Or witness the slaying of a 34-year-old man March 4 outside a crowded South Avenue bar, the same exact corner where another man was fatally gunned down just last November.

Or witness the 2021 New Year’s morning killings of two men on the South and West sides minutes after they had left joyous holiday parties.

Collectively, these and other homicides reinforce anew the city’s long-standing — but sadly deserved — reputation as a nationally known hotbed of violent thuggery. Though the city’s murder rate has fallen markedly since the 1990s, there’s no room for celebration today. After all, today’s per-capita murder rate in Youngstown continues to exceed that of the notoriously mean streets of Chicago.

Against this disturbing backdrop, some who live and work in Youngstown have become numb to this relentless epidemic of violent crime. Killing after killing after killing, city police report an incredibly high level of apathy from potential witnesses and others who refuse to come forward and cooperate toward bringing those responsible to justice.

Such attitudes of apathy, antipathy, indifference and ignorance will do nothing, however, to make the city one iota safer. Indeed, if Youngstowners ever hope to take back their streets, a united, coordinated and action-oriented army of foot soldiers from all quadrants of the city will need to seriously commit themselves to this paramount priority.

Coincidentally, the latest spate of spiked violent crime in Youngstown began at the same time as a change in leadership at the helm of the 150-officer city police department. In January, Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown appointed 35-year veteran police officer Carl Davis to replace out-going chief Robin Lees.

Clearly, Davis has his work cut out for him.

So far, however, we’re encouraged by Davis’ sprint to action toward lessening the longstanding reputation for Youngstown violence.

Since taking over leadership, Davis has introduced or plans to introduce several potentially productive initiatives toward ebbing shooting injuries and deaths and other violent crime. Among them:

• Detective Sgt. Jose Morales has been placed in charge of launching the department’s body-camera initiative. Though long overdue, the use of body cameras properly worn by all officers can go for toward protecting residents and police alike and can aid greatly in investigations of violent and all other types of crime.

• The city’s Community-Oriented Policing program is being expanded with full-time representation on all sides of town. This program has succeeded in other communities in building trust and cooperation between police and residents.

• A midnight basketball program is being re-established as a means to give young people more time for constructive recreation and less time for potential mischief.

We not only hope that the community responds to Chief Davis’ initiatives, we hope everyone works diligently to discourage the culture of retaliation as a primary conflict-solving tool. Toward that end, we’re also encouraged by Chief Davis’ plan for stronger outreach to churches throughout the city, institutions that are greatly respected and can wield constructive influences over its congregations, particularly young people.

Collectively, such a highly visible and multi-pronged offensive replete with maximum community participation can generate a ray of optimism toward reducing the wanton carnage that for far too long has been synonymous with Youngstown.

editorial@tribtoday.com