COLUMBUS, Ohio – The first in a series of five community meetings between Columbus police officials and community members is scheduled for tonight.
The meetings were announced in January as a community outreach initiative to seek input on policing in response to increased discussion about police-community relations in the wake of fatal shootings of unarmed black men or boys in Cleveland and Missouri.
Meetings are scheduled for each police patrol zone from 6:00p.m. to 8:00p.m.
February 23rd @ First Church of God, 3480 Refugee Road
March 2nd @ Briggs High School, 2555 Briggs Road
March 5th @ Linden McKinley High School, 1320 Duxberry Avenue
March 9th @ East High School, 1500 East Broad Street
March 12th @ Crossroads Baptist Church, 5077 Cleveland Avenue
The forums will provide Chief Kim Jacobs and her executive staff “an opportunity to listen to community concerns and accept suggestions,” police spokesman Sgt. Rich Weiner said.
Jacobs will use material from the meetings and from information on effective practices from around the nation to review policies and procedures and improve training, education, outreach, relationships and trust between the community and police, Weiner said.
The state’s Task Force on Community-Police Relations will hold its third public forum on Thursday at the University of Toledo’s Scott Park Auditorium. The 24-member task force was formed by Gov. Kasich in December.