KASICH CREATES OHIO TASK FORCE ON COMMUNITY AND POLICE RELATIONS
OhioMBE – December 15, 2014
Gov. John R. Kasich signed an executive order creating the Ohio Task Force on Community and Police Relations after a series of incidents in Ohio and the nation have again brought to light the challenging situations that exist in too many places between community and police. Kasich announced the task force last week with Senator Nina Turner, Representative Sandra Williams, Representative Alicia Reece (President, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus) and Attorney General Mike DeWine.
“Too many people in communities of color feel like the protective shield that law and order is intended to provide is not working for them. The underlying friction can only be resolved by giving community members a chance for their voices to be heard and then moving forward to strengthen the essential relationship between communities and the police,” said Kasich. “This task force will allow Ohioans to come together, voice their concerns and begin formulating ideas for lasting, constructive relationships between communities and police that are built on mutual understanding and respect. Everyone’s goal is for our communities to be safe and for all Ohioans to have an opportunity to share in Ohio’s growing prosperity.”
The task force will be chaired by Ohio Department of Public Safety Director John Born and co-chaired by Sen. Nina Turner (D-Cleveland). Its approximately 20 members will be drawn from across Ohio and include legislators from both chambers and parties of the General Assembly—including Sen. Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland) and Rep. Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati, president, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus), and also include representatives of the governor, attorney general, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, local law enforcement, organized labor, local community leaders, the faith-based community, business, municipalities, and prosecuting attorneys.
The task force will conduct at least four public forums throughout the state to gather input from all Ohioans. Issues the task force is charged with exploring include best community policing practices, law enforcement training, standards for law enforcement interaction with the community, the criminal justice system and community oversight and involvement in law enforcement.
The Executive Order, which can be viewed at http://www.governor.ohio.gov/Portals/0/pdf/executiveOrders/EO%202014-06K.pdf, states the task force should seek to complete its work and issue a report by the end of April, 2015.
