In December 2014, Gov. John R. Kasich signed Executive Order 2014-06K, announcing the Ohio Task Force on Community-Police Relations after a series of incidents in Ohio and around the nation highlighted the challenges between the community and police. The task force included 24 members representing the governor, legislature, attorney general, the Supreme Court of Ohio, local law enforcement, organized labor, local community leaders, the faith-based community, business, municipalities and prosecuting attorneys.
On April 29, 2015, after a series of public forums held around the state, the task force delivered its final report to the Governor, who in turn signed Executive Order 2015-04K, established the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board (Ohio Collaborative) to oversee implementation of recommendations from the Ohio Task Force on Community-Police Relations.
The Ohio Collaborative, a 12-person panel of law enforcement experts and community leaders from throughout the state, established state standards – for the first time in Ohio’s history – on August 28, 2015, for use of force including use of deadly force and agency employee recruitment and hiring that can help guide law enforcement agencies in Ohio. These new standards will hold everyone accountable and instill a greater confidence with the public. The Collaborative works closely with partners, including the community and law enforcement agencies, to implement the new standards. All law enforcement agencies are expected to meet or exceed these new standards as they develop policies and procedures to meet these new expectations. The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, communicated those new standards to Ohio’s nearly 960 law enforcement agencies. The Ohio Collaborative also provided model policies as a resource for agencies, and OCJS serves as a contact and is available to assist agencies with implementation. OCJS published a report on March 31, 2017, listing which state and local law enforcement agencies have adopted and fully implemented the new minimum standards. More than 500 agencies employing over 27,000 officers (in all 88 counties, representing 79 percent of all law enforcement officers in Ohio and most of Ohio’s metropolitan departments) are participating in the certification process.
Chair, Karen Huey
Assistant Director Ohio Department of Public Safety
Comm. Lori Barreras
Ohio Civil Rights Commission
The Hon. Michael Bell
Former Mayor of Toledo
Rep. Juanita Brent
Ohio Representative
Dr. Ronnie Dunn
Associate professor, Cleveland State University
Dr. Robin S. Engel
Professor, University of Cincinnati
Officer Anthony L. Johnson
Columbus Police Department
BCI Supt. Joe Morbitzer
Ohio Attorney General's Office
Rev. Walter S. Moss
Pastor
Chief Justin Paez
Dublin Police Department
Pros. Melissa A. Schiffel
Delaware County
Sheriff Rob Streck
Montgomery County
Sen. Sandra Williams
Ohio Senator
Rep. Phil Plummer
Ohio Representative
The Hon. Tom Roberts
Former Ohio Senator
The Late Hon. Louis Stokes
Former Member of Congress
The Late Hon. George V. Voinovich
Former U.S. Senator, Governor of Ohio and Mayor of Cleveland
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