COLUMBUS – Mayor Andrew Ginther yesterday announced his appointments to the Civilian Police Review Board, a nine-member panel which will provide civilian oversight of police for the first time in Columbus history.
The board will also appoint the first Inspector General for the Division of Police.
The panel includes legal experts, academics, faith leaders, a former police officer and will be headed up by former city attorney and judge Janet Jackson.
Members of the Columbus Civilian Police Review Board:
Mark Fluharty, Executive Director of Central Ohio Labor Council
Dr. Chenelle Jones, Assistant Dean/Chair of Public Safety Programs, Franklin University, member of Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commission
Willard McIntosh, retired Columbus Division of Police officer
Pastor Rich Nathan, Vineyard Columbus
Kyle Strickland, attorney, The Ohio State University Roosevelt Institute
Randall Sistrunk, Director of Business Development, Orange Barrel Media, member of Chief’s Advisory Panel
Rev. Charles Tatum, the Good Shepherd Baptist Church
Mary Younger, former Franklin County Public Defender
Janet Jackson, former city attorney and Franklin County municipal judge, chair of Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commission
Voters in November approved the creation of the board and inspector general’s post in the wake of some officer-involved shootings and complaints about how police reacted to destructive protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.
Ginther is vowing that the city’s next police chief will come from outside the department, also a first for Columbus.
Not only will the chief be an outsider, but a new assistant chief position will allow the next leader to bring his or her own people as aides, the Democratic mayor said.
That’s one of the lessons learned from the previous search, where some candidates appeared reluctant to take the job solo, Ginther said.