DeWine asks state board to develop standards on police response to mass protests

MIAMI VALLEY — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that he has asked the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board to begin developing a new minimum standard on law enforcement’s response to mass protests.

The announcement came on the day George Floyd’s family held a private ceremony in Texas. Floyd died while in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

Floyd’s death brought about protests and demonstrations across the nation and state, where some police agencies used tear gas and other methods to disperse crowds of people. The board will review the tactics police use in these situations and provide standards to local departments.

The same board helped developed criteria for use-of-force and hiring and recruitment in law enforcement in recent years.

In Ohio, DeWine said 79 percent of law enforcement officers in the state work for an agency that is certified in the use-of-force and hiring and recruitment standards. DeWine said about half of the state’s law enforcement departments are certified and he’s asking the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services to reach out to the agencies that are not certified to assist them in any way they can.

The following local agencies are either certified or in the process of being certified for the use-of-force and/or hiring and recruitment standards (data from 2020 Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board Report):

Auglaize County: Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, Minster Police Department, New Bremen Police and Waynesfield Police Department

Butler County: Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfield Police Department, Hamilton Police Department, Miami University Police Department, Oxford Police Department, Oxford Twp. Police Department, Ross Township Police Department, West Chester Police Department

Champaign County: Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, Mechanicsburg Police Department, Urbana Police Department

Clark County: Springfield Police Department

Clinton County: Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington Police Department

Darke County: Arcanum Police Department, Darke County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville Police Department

Greene County: Beavercreek Police Department, Bellbrook Police Department, Central State University Police Department, Fairborn Police Department, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Wright State University Police Department, Xenia Police Department, Yellow Springs Police Department

Logan County: Bellefontaine Police Department, Logan County Sheriff’s Office, Russells Point Police Department, West Liberty Police Department

Mercer County: Fort Recovery Police Department, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, St. Henry Police Department

Miami County: Covington Police Department, Miami County Park District Park Rangers, Miami County Sheriff’s Office, Piqua Police Department, Tipp City Police Department, Troy Police Department, West Milton Police Department

Montgomery County: Brookville Police Department, Butler Twp. Police Department, Centerville Police Department, Clay Twp. Police Department, Clayton Police Department, Dayton International Airport Police Department, Dayton Police Department, German Twp. Police Department, Huber Heights Police Division, Jackson Twp. Police Department, Kettering Health Network Police Department, Kettering Police Department, Miami Twp. Police Department, Miamisburg Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Moraine Police Department, New Lebanon Police Department, Oakwood Police Department, Riverside Police Department, Sinclair Community College Police Department, Trotwood Police Department, Vandalia Police Department, West Carrollton Police Department

Preble County: Eaton Police Department, New Paris Police Department, Preble County Sheriff’s Office

Shelby County: Sidney Parks Department, Sidney Police Department

Warren County: Carlisle Police Department, Clearcreek Twp. Police Department, Franklin Police Department, Hamilton Twp. Police Department, Lebanon Police Department, Maineville Police Department, Morrow Police Department, Springboro Police Department, Waynesville Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Office.

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