Federal review finds no 'glaring evidence' of Columbus police using excessive force

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Although the U.S. Department of Justice found no “glaring evidence” of excessive use of force in a second review of Columbus police, it did note a related problem.

In April 2021, Mayor Andrew Ginther and City Attorney Zach Klein asked the Justice Department to review the city’s police force to identify any racial biases and solutions for reform. The request was made after police were scrutinized for their response to protests Downtown during the summer of 2020, the shooting deaths of Andre’ Hill and Ma’Khia Bryant, and other incidents.

The Justice Department accepted that request in September 2021, returning a report to city leaders in February 2023. The report outlined key areas of potential improvement for the department, including organizational structure and technology. However, that report did not address the department’s use of force, leading Ginther to ask the agency to take another look.

A second report was released on Aug. 9, which states a majority of the police department’s policies and procedures are consistent with industry standards. The agency specifically commended CPD policies that emphasize deescalation and require employees to take immediate action if they become aware of another employee engaging in misconduct.

The report applauded Columbus police for the quality of their training and efforts regarding officer wellness, which the Department of Justice said is worthy of recognition on a national level. The agency also stated there is no “glaring evidence” of police using excessive force at an “unusually high rate” in Columbus. 

“Supervisory and investigative processes in place such as [body worn camera] reviews are consistently conducted and do not reveal evidence of widespread use of excessive force,” the report said. 

However, the agency said the division has a “significant problem” with tracking use of force incidents and needs to improve its technological and data analysis capabilities. Low-level use of force incidents, such as using chemical spray, are not tracked or analyzed in a way that would allow police or the community to see if a racial disparity exists, the Department of Justice said. The agency stated this should be fixed as soon as possible.

While policies and protocols in place give the appearance of sufficient accountability within the division, the Department of Justice states the absence of adequate reporting to monitor use of force makes it difficult to identify any patterns or trends. 

“The report acknowledges the need for technical enhancements,” a statement from the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9 read. “Still, it commends CPD policy, particularly in rendering aid, taking prompt action on and off duty, immediately addressing any misconduct they encounter, and effectively utilizing deescalation techniques.”

Ginther confirmed to NBC4 that he received the report and will analyze the findings to continue moving the division forward under the leadership of Chief Elaine Bryant. 

View the full report below: