COLUMBUS — A commission created to study improvements to community and police relations in Columbus has recommended the creation of an independent civilian review board.
The recommendation was one of 80 unveiled Thursday after an 18-month review of best practices aimed at the Columbus Division of Police.
“It is clear that to create trust and meet the expectations of our residents, we need change,” said Mayor Ginther, who formed the 17-member panel in 2017.
The city has been reviewing practices going back to the 2016 shooting of Henry Green, a black man killed by two undercover white officers.
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The commission was comprised of community leaders, current and former safety officers, social service providers, faith leaders and others.
“I applaud the Commission for these clear recommendations to reform the Division of Police, especially the recommendation to form an independent civilian review board,” Columbus City Council president Shannon Hardin said.
Janet Jackson, a former Municipal Court judge and Columbus City Attorney, chaired the Community Safety Advisory Commission and said an independent body reviewing incidents could help with mistrust felt by minorities toward police.
“These recommendations are wide-ranging, but they reflect great depth of thought and a sincere desire to provide you and the Division of Police guidance on how to best address some of the greatest challenges facing the Division and our community today,” Jackson said.
The commission also recommended improving the division’s inclusion, diversity and sensitivity through such moves as allowing the female Muslim headscarf the hijab into uniform standards to encourage more Muslim women to join the police, making recruiting materials available in multiple languages and including training material that addresses individual civil rights and non-aggressive tactics during peaceful protests and marches.
Additional recommendations include:
Involving more community members into recruit training to improve cultural competency.
Developing more insightful public community surveys of experiences with police interactions.
Encouraging mentoring of police officers to build diversity through the ranks.
Implementing a Police Initiated Diversion Program for juveniles arrested for criminal activity.
The panel also called for changes to discipline procedures involving officers and programs addressing their wellness, job satisfaction and the workplace environment.