Mayor Ginther Announces Appointments To Civilian Police Review Board
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther today
announced his appointments to the Civilian Police Review Board (CPRB) which will
provide civilian oversite of police for the first time in Columbus history. The
Board will appoint the first Inspector General for the Division of Police who
the city will support with professional staff to conduct independent investigations
into police misconduct. The appointments will be advanced Columbus City Council
for approval.
“In November, residents
overwhelmingly approved the creation of a Civilian Police Review Board and
Inspector General for the Division of Police,” said Mayor Ginther. “The purpose
of the board is to help restore trust between the community and police. For too
long, the police have operated solely on their own with no opportunity for
community oversite. This Board allows for independent investigations – and
review of internal investigations – as well as recommendations for discipline
and policy changes outside the chain of command.”
The city reviewed more than
200 applications for seats on the board and engaged community members to help conduct
more than 20 in-depth interviews with finalists. The following nine individuals
will be advanced to Council for appointment to the Civilian Police Review
Board:
- Mark Fluharty, Executive Director of Central Ohio
Labor Council
- Dr. Chenelle Jones, Assistant Dean/Chair of Public
Safety Programs, Franklin University, member of Columbus Community Safety
Advisory Commission
- Willard McIntosh, retired Columbus Division of Police
officer
- Pastor Rich Nathan, Vineyard Columbus
- Kyle Strickland, attorney, The Ohio State University
Roosevelt Institute
- Randall Sistrunk, Director of Business Development,
Orange Barrel Media, member of Chief’s Advisory Panel
- Rev. Charles Tatum, the Good Shepherd Baptist Church
- Mary Younger, former Franklin County Public Defender
- Janet Jackson,
former city attorney and Franklin County municipal judge, chair of Columbus
Community Safety Advisory Commission
Mayor Ginther asked Jackson,
former city attorney and Franklin County municipal judge, and chair of Columbus
Community Safety Advisory Commission, to serve as chair of the board. Chair
Jackson will help establish the framework for how the Board will function and
work with her fellow Board members to lead a search for Columbus’ first
Inspector General for the Division of Police.
After more than 18 months of
intensive review, the Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commission presented
Mayor Ginther with a list of recommendations to improve community-police
relations, including amending the Columbus City Charter to establish a civilian
review board and an Inspector General for police. Last year, Mayor Ginther
advanced Issue 2 to amend the Charter, and Columbus voters overwhelmingly
supported the creation of the Civilian Police Review Board and Inspector
General.
“The overarching goal of the
Board is to help restore trust in police by providing transparent
investigations and holding officers who have done wrong accountable,” said
Jackson. “Resident votes in favor of the Board last November spoke
volumes. And we -- just like the
Division of Police -- are here to serve them.”