City says will address reported disparities in use of force

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A report highlighting racial disparities in use of force by police in Ohio’s capital has prompted promises from local leaders to address the issue.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said at a recent news conference that the city must make improvements.

The internal report found about half of the police department’s 438 incidents involving use of force in 2017 were directed against black people, who only make up 28% of the city’s population.

Ginther, a Democrat, tells The Columbus Dispatch changing a community’s culture takes time, but the commitment to reform is there.

The president of the Fraternal Order of Police lodge that represents Columbus police says officers are “more than happy to improve” relations with the public. But Keith Ferrell says the public also should take some responsibility for confrontations.

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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com