Mayor Ginther, Chief Quinlan, City Attorney Klein and Council President Hardin Announce Chief’s Advisory Panel and Strict Limits on Use of Tear Gas, Pepper Spray
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther, Police Chief Thomas Quinlan, City
Attorney Zach Klein and City Council President Shannon Hardin today announced
the Chief’s Advisory Panel. The advisory panel is designed to allow
community stakeholders to have a meaningful way to provide input into
strategies, development of community policing practices, and increasing community
transparency into police operations.
“This is not just a commission
or committee that will sit idly by,” said Mayor Ginther. “The Chief’s panel
will weigh in and provide feedback on changes we are making – such as
significantly limiting the use of tear gas and pepper spray by the Columbus
Division of Police.”
A panel of 14 members were selected by Mayor Ginther and
Columbus City Council:
- Aba Azeem, Vice Chair of the Create Columbus
Commission
- Lourdes Barosso de Padilla, Director of the
Latina Mentoring Academy
- J. Love Benton, Vice Chair, Black, Out and Proud
- James Burke IV, President Columbus National Pan
Hellenic Council
- LaShaun Carter, Chief Diversity Officer at
Franklin County Children Services and Columbus Community Safety Advisory
Commissioner
- Stefanie Coe, Commissioner, Civil Service
Commission
- Yaves Ellis, Pastor and Director of Community
Affairs at Urban 1
- Tammy Fournier, Founder and Organizing Director,
Peoples Justice Project and Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commissioner
- Florence Latham, Human Resources Consultant and
Executive Coach
- Kristy McCray, Associate Professor, Otterbein
University
- Diane Menashe, Partner, Ice Miller
- Andrew B. Pierce II, Undergraduate Student, John
Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University
- Randall Sistrunk, Director of Development,
Orange Barrel Media
- Erin Upchurch, Executive Director, Kaleidoscope
Youth Center
“The panel will act as a sounding board for me regarding
community needs, concerns, and expectations, as well as provide community feedback
to current and proposed police programs and priorities,” said Chief Quinlan.
“Community leaders, like those
on this advisory panel, keep public officials accountable,” said Council
President Shannon Hardin. “That accountability and transparency is critical not
just for Council, but for all officials who serve the people of our city. This
advisory group has an important role to help reform public safety through new
institutions and practices such as a civilian review board, independent
investigations, and much more.”
Mayor Ginther also issued a
directive prohibiting the use of tear gas as a crowd control measure and
limiting pepper spray to situations involving only clear instances of violence.
Additional policy changes in how chemical agents are used will be drafted in
consultation with the City Attorney to assure clear, consistent guidance to
police.
“This new policy will stop unnecessary confrontations
between police officers and peaceful protestors exercising their First
Amendment rights,” said City Attorney Zach Klein. “This important change
reflects our City’s and my own personal commitment to meaningful reforms and
balances public safety and protected speech.”