Department of Justice review of Columbus police released without use-of-force audit
A Department of Justice report released Tuesday after a nearly 18-month review of the Columbus Division of Police had some glaring holes, including no examination of the division's use of force, according to city officials.
City officials said they had requested that federal authorities look at how force is used by Columbus police when the Justice Department was asked to come to Columbus by Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and City Attorney Zach Klein in April 2021.
That review began in September 2021 with the Justice Department's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) unit looking at policies and operations. The city had asked the DOJ to look at "any and all racial biases in policing efforts" and offer findings and solutions for reform.
The final, 14-page report outlined some key areas of focus for potential improvement and complimented the police division on efforts that already have been made with regards to change and reform, but Klein said Tuesday morning at a news conference that a review of use of force was not done.
"Although the mayor and I asked for a use-of-force audit, they did not do it in this iteration," Klein said. "It is clear they did not touch use of force this time."
Ginther has asked the Justice Department to come back and do a "deep dive into use of force" and an "audit of technology" the division is currently using. Technology was another area that the city explicitly asked to be examined when the initial request was made in April 2021.
"Ultimately, the DOJ decides what they're going to investigate and what they’re going to review," Ginther said Tuesday. "This is not a final engagement with the DOJ. They have committed to an ongoing partnership."
The report's release came less than 48 hours after Columbus police officer Joshua Ohlinger, a five-year member of the Division, shot 66-year-old Michael Cleveland after Cleveland fled from a traffic stop with a firearm. The shooting is Ohlinger's second within about six months; he shot a teenager fleeing with a gun last August.
The city has paid nearly $18 million since 2020 to settle lawsuits related to police use of force, including $5.75 million to protesters who were pepper-sprayed, struck with rubber bullets or other nonfatal force and $10 million to the family of Andre Hill, an unarmed Black man shot in December 2020 by officer Adam Coy — the single largest payout in the city's history. Coy is awaiting trial on murder and other charges.
Both Ginther and Klein said the report showed areas of opportunity for continued improvement within the division, as well as confirmation the city has been moving in the right direction with other reforms that have been implemented since 2020. This includes the introduction of Andre's Law, which was put in place after officer Adam Coy fatally shot Andre Hill and requires officers to provide first aid until paramedics arrive; deploying a second-generation of body cameras; upgrading cruiser camera technology; and establishment of the Civilian Police Review Board and an Inspector General's office.
The report outlined several areas of improvement, as well as several suggestions that the division is already in the process of implementing.
"The Columbus Division of Police is a promising institution, well-positioned to make positive, self-driven reform in the coming years," the report said, detailing two "extensive site visits" as well as a number of other communications the COPS office had with police. "City leadership and other departments within any city have a duty to participate in the safety and well-being of everyone in their community."
The report found a "clear gap" in IT services for the city and police, as well as determining that most officers still take reports by hand, despite technology being available to do so electronically. A specific recommendation was that all reporting and records management should be done digitally, citing a higher likelihood for human error with paper reporting as well as potential for calculation mistakes that would skew data reporting.
Some new efforts already are underway in the division. These include the creation of a leadership team — consisting of members of the Division of Police, mayor's office, City Attorney's office and several other city departments — to review changes to policies and hold the division accountable, as well as communicate with the public. The division also will be adding a third assistant chief and restructuring patrol zones.
The report, released around 2 p.m. Tuesday, said the division needs to rework the community liaison officer job descriptions and ensure officers working in that unit are true problem solvers. The report said many of the officers currently working in those positions are toward the end of their careers and see themselves as backup to patrol, picking and choosing what calls they respond to and are the "feel-good job in the division."
"Community policing is everyone's responsibility," the report said. "Where (community liaison officers) are used, they should be used to extend the chief's message to the community and get feedback on public safety concerns ... working towards collaborative solutions with the community and city partners alike."
Columbus police will redevelop the community liaison officers role into a "strong, community-engaged, problem-solving initiative," Chief Elaine Bryant said during Tuesday's press conference.
Other reorganizations within the police division, including the criminal investigations bureau, which has traditionally investigated gang activity, have led to improvements in communication, Bryant said.
Bryant did not address how a new gang enforcement unit — which is to wear black and gray uniforms and be in cruisers that were proposed to be black with black writing — would fit into those reorganization efforts.
Klein said officers who are doing enforcement action need to be clearly identified as police officers in the best interest of the community, but added that covert surveillance is also necessary.
The report also suggested the city communicate with the public what recommendations from the 2019 Matrix Consulting report, 2020 Community Safety Advisory Commission report, and a 2021 audit of recruiting will be implemented and which suggestions from those reports will be rejected, as well as the reasoning for the rejections.
"Many community members told the team that they do not know what is going on with the recommendations from the studies and do not believe the work is effectively reaching the community," the report said. "While this work is ongoing, regular and consistent messaging from a variety of city entities, not just the division, should be disseminated in public forums to update the community about progress and which recommendations may not be implemented and why."
Updates should be done at least once a quarter, the report said, and should be made publicly available online along with action plans for recommendations that are being implemented.
bbruner@dispatch.com
@bethany_bruner
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Department of Justice releases report from review of Columbus police
