COLUMBUS – The chief of police is asking an FBI task force to taking over an investigation of the Columbus police vice squad.
The announcement Thursday follows two recent incidents focusing attention on the squad.
Chief Jacobs Requests Assistance of FBI Task Force to Investigate CPD Vice pic.twitter.com/ehTqciAh7L
— Columbus Division of Police (@ColumbusPolice) September 27, 2018
The division is asking anyone with knowledge of criminal activity by members of the vice section to call a tip line set up by the FBI at (614) 849-1777.
Police say a vice detective who was stabbed in the hand by an alleged prostitute fatally shot her inside a police vehicle last month.
Police say the officer, 30-year-veteran Andrew Mitchell, was under criminal investigation for a citizen complaint made before the shooting. Police spokeswoman Sgt. Chantay Boxill says Mitchell has been relieved of duty pending the investigation of the citizen complaint.
In July, the Columbus police union head denied that politics were behind the nightclub arrest of porn actress Stormy Daniels, who alleges she had sex with Donald Trump before he became president.
Chief Kim Jacobs has formally requested the FBI’s Public Corruption Task Force, which includes the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Auditor of State, and the FBI, to assist in the investigation.