Columbus Police officers should be barred from using force to disperse peaceful demonstrators, a group of anti-racism protesters is arguing in a hearing underway in federal court.
Columbus residents voted overwhelmingly last week to add more oversight of police. Issue 2, which passed with about 74% of the vote, creates a new Civilian Review Board and an inspector general for the Columbus Division of Police.
Columbus City Council on Monday decided to table proposed restrictions on the police department's use of military equipment and non-lethal weapons like tear gas.
A group of protesters have filed a federal lawsuit against Columbus Police for injuries they sustained in late May and early June, alleging that officers used excessive force and violated their constitutional rights.
In a heated meeting, Columbus Police Chief Tom Quinlan and Mayor Andrew Ginther checked in with the Safety Advisory Commission to give a progress report on reform recommendations and gather feedback on police response to protests.
The city's Community Safety Advisory Commission says that Columbus Police should establish an independent civilian review board to oversee any investigations into officer use-of-force, police shootings, citizen complaints and misconduct.
Protesters upset over a violent arrest delayed a Columbus City Council meeting for nearly two hours as they demanded answers and sweeping reforms of the Columbus Police department.
Community activists are following up on demands they made last week about Columbus Police behavior with a protest Monday evening. Disciplining one officer, they say, is not enough to repair lost trust.
