COLUMBUS – The U.S. Justice Department has agreed to review some practices of the Columbus Division of Police after a series of police killings of Black people.
Democratic Mayor Andrew Ginther on Thursday announced the review by the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the component of the department responsible for advancing community policing nationwide.
Ginther says the review is not about a single incident, but about reforming the entire police department.
“This is an important day for the future of policing in Columbus…I am confident in the partnership and the additional tools the DOJ’s COPS Office will bring to our city,” he said.
New Police Chief Elaine Bryant says the review could focus on areas such as training, recruitment, technology and creating an early intervention system for officers.
“We ask our officers to constantly train to be better, to strive for the next level of skill and excellence. This is no different. Our work is too important, the stakes are too high, for us to ever be satisfied with the status quo,” Bryant said.
“I’m glad the Department of Justice has agreed to engage with Columbus to improve policing with the ultimate goal of making our city safer for every resident,” City Council president Shannon Hardin said. “We’ve got to continue pushing for reform and take a hard look at the Division of Police’s past practices, policies, and culture. Today’s announcement is a good start towards our united goals of rebuilding trust and ushering in a more just city.”
The Justice Department’s involvement begins immediately, Ginther said.