Police reform: DeWine's plan to follow police and hold them accountable

In the wake of nationwide protests demanding policing reform, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is pushing a comprehensive plan that he believes will make it easier to identify problem officers and get rid of them.

​

IN THE WAKE OF RACIAL TENSIONSACROSS THE COUNTRY -- OHIOGOVERNOR MIKE DEWINE IS NOWPUSHING FOR REFORM TO PREVENTPOLICE OFFICERS WHO AREFIRED---OR WHO HAVE RESIGNEDFOLLOWING SERIOUS PROBLEMSWITH THEIR CONDUCT---FROMMOVING ON TO OTHERDEPARTMENTS.

THE GOAL IS TOWEED OUT OFFICERS WHO JUSTDON'T LIVE UP TO THE JOB."THE WCPO 9 I-TEAM FIRSTSTARTED DIGGING INTO THISISSUE IN 2017---AND HASEXPOSED THE HISTORIES OF SOMELOCAL OFFICERS WHO LEAVE ONEDEPARTMENT ON BAD TERMS ONLYTO GET HIRED SOMEWHEREELSE."CHIEF INVESTIGATIVEREPORTER CRAIG CHEATHAMEXAMINES THE LATEST RESEARCHAND PLANS FOR REFORM.Protests over police brutalityhave filledstreets.........and parks in the Cincinnatiarea........across thecountry.......and around theworld.The most recent wave ofprotests followed theMinneapolis police killing ofGeorge Floyd.Floyd's death andthe massive Black Lives Matterprotests prompted reneweddemand for policing reform.THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKESOME CHANGES THAT SHOULD HAVEBEEN MADE A WHILE AGO.OhioGovernor Mike DeWine ispushing a comprehensive planthat he believes will make iteasier to identify problemofficers and get rid of them.

?DeWine wants law enforcementagencies to submit use offorce reports and disciplinaryactions against officers to apublic state database.

Policedepartments would be requiredto check the database beforehiring officers.?YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO BEABLE TO HAVE ONE PLACE TO GOTO CHECK THEM OUT TO FIND OUTIF THERE ARE COMPLAINTSPENDING.

WHAT IS GOING ON?WHAT'S IN THAT PERSON'S FILE?DeWine also wants thelegislature to create a stateoversight board that haveaccess to the database ofpolice records and use them toenforce tougher standards forpolice officers, like thoseregulating physicians, barbersand other professionals whoneed a state license topractice.

?I THINK THAT'S TREATING THEPOLICE PROFESSION THE WAY ITSHOULD BE TREATEDDeWine sayshis plan will enable the stateto track officers who receivecomplaints, then get fired orresign without facing a fullinvestigation.WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN MYRESEARCH IS THAT AN OFFICERWHO IS A PROBLEM OFFICER INONE JURISDICTION IS AN OFFICERWHO BECOMES A PROBLEM FORANOTHER JURISDICTION IFANOTHER AGENCY HIRES HIM.Bowling Green State UniversityCriminal Justice ProfessorPhil Stinson says for policingreform to Stinson says forpolicing reform to bemeaningful it must addressofficers who have histories ofdisciplinary problems, butkeep getting hired by otherdepartments.THE AGENCIES THAT THENARE INTERESTED IN HIRING THATOFFICER MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE AGOOD INDICATION THAT THEY WEREA PROBLEM OFFICER AT THEIRFORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.That's a topic the WCPO 9I-Team has examined since 2017.Our investigation found somesmall local police departmentshave a history of hiringofficers who had been fired orresigned following complaintsabout their conduct inuniform.

???The I-Team alsofound police departments haddetermined that their ownofficers committed crimes andshould be charged, butprosecutors agreed to notcharge the officers if theyresigned.

That allowed theofficers to keep theircertifications and findanother policing job.WELL, YOUR STORIES HAVEPOINTED OUT THAT WE HAVE ASYSTEM THAT DOESN'T WORK THEWAY IT SHOULD WORK.

THAT WEOFTEN TOLERATE TOO OFTEN APOLICE OFFICER WHO HAS SHOWNTHAT HE OR SHE IS NOT A GOODPOLICE OFFICER AND THEY'REHIRED NONETHELESS.

Right nowin Ohio, the state can revokean officer's certificationONLY if the officer isconvicted of certain crimes.

??DeWine says his proposed stateoversight board should havethe authority to revoke anofficer's certification fornon-criminal misconduct, justlike they can in Kentucky.?THESE ARE ALL THINGS THATFRANKLY NEED TO BEDONE.To see more on GovernorDeWine's police reform planand our previousinvestigations go to wcpo.com.CRAIG CHEATHAM WCPO 9 I-TEAM.OHIO LAWMAKERS HAVE INTRODUCEDLEGISLATION THAT HAS A LOT INCOMMON WITH GOVERNOR DEWINE'SPLAN -- INCLUDING MORETRAINING FOR POLICE -- AND ASTATE BOARD THAT WILL OVERSEEA NEW DISCIPLINARY PROCESS FOROFFICERS.