COLUMBUS – Columbus City Council and Mayor Andrew Ginther took steps forward in their efforts to bring about police reform in the city.
City Council unveiled a package of legislation that includes requiring independent investigations into lethal force, limiting or banning no-knock raids, demilitarizing the police and instituting background checks for hate-group affiliation.
Ginther met Thursday with Keith Ferrell, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9, to talk about reforms in the Division of Police but said he was disappointed in the union’s response.
“I am disappointed in the FOP’s lack of commitment to the reforms we need at the Columbus Division of Police. They say they are prepared to listen, but we’ve heard that for far too long. The time for listening is over. The time for action is now,” Ginther said.
Today, Mayor Ginther met with FOP President Keith Ferrell to talk about our community’s clear calls for change. pic.twitter.com/qJhoSAaMN3
— City of Columbus (@ColumbusGov) June 25, 2020
The city and the police officers’ union is negotiating a new contract this year which Ginther wants to include a civilian review board.
Addressing complaints about how officers have handled downtown protests, Ginther has implemented independent, third party investigations by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations into police-involved deaths, directed police to stop using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse non-violent crowds, formed an advisory panel to guide Chief Thomas Quinlan in policy changes and signed on to “8 Can’t Wait” reforms to instill more restrictive use-of-force policies within the police.
He also vowed to hire an independent investigator to review the overall response to protests over the death of George Floyd that began in late May.
Council has also proposed forming a Civilian Review Board and an independent agency to conduct criminal or administrative investigations involving Columbus police personnel.
City Council members say they also plan to conduct hearings on the 2021 operating budget, due to be proposed in November, to determine if additional reforms can be instituted.