Case Analysis Deliverable 1 - Background and SWOT Analysis

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Columbus Division of PoliCe 2020 AnnuAl RePoRt

Columbus, ohio

Year organized ...............................................................................1816 Proposed General Fund Budget (FY20) .......................... $359,970,422 Personnel ........................................................................ $332,926,400 Supplies ............................................................................... $4,742,414 Services ............................................................................. $16,396,181 Other (Claims) ........................................................................ $255,000 Capital ................................................................................................ $- Transfers ............................................................................. $5,650,427

Sworn Personnel ...................................................... (As of 12/31/2020) Chief .....................................................................................................1 Deputy Chief .........................................................................................6 Commander ........................................................................................18 Lieutenant ...........................................................................................59 Sergeant ...........................................................................................224 Officer .............................................................................................1567 TOTAL SWORN ..............................................................................1875 ................................................................................................................ Civilian Personnel ................................................................................... Supervisors.........................................................................................40 Civilians ............................................................................................343 Recruits ..............................................................................................83 TOTAL ..............................................................................................466

Estimated Population (per MORPC)..........................................914,450 (per Census) ..........................................892,533

Percentage of sworn assigned to: .......................................................... Patrol ...............................................................................................61% Investigative.....................................................................................23% Support ..............................................................................................9% Administrative ....................................................................................7%

Boats ....................................................................................................3 Bicycles ............................................................................................192 Canines .............................................................................................. 11 Facilities..............................................................................................27 Helicopters............................................................................................5 Horses ..................................................................................................9 Marked vehicles................................................................................616 Motorcycles ........................................................................................28 Unmarked vehicles ...........................................................................465

Specialized Teams .................................................................................. BAC Operators ................................................................................. 117 Bicycle-certified Officers ...................................................................355 Crisis Intervention Team Officers ......................................................516 Community Response Team Officers .................................................42 DICE/DRE Officers ........................................................................62/12 Dive Team Members ........................................................................... 11 Field Training Officers.......................................................................194 Hostage Negotiators ...........................................................................10 Honor Guard Members .......................................................................55 SWAT ..................................................................................................26

Emergency 911 Calls Received .................................................603,842 Non-Emergency Calls Received................................................529,101 Total Calls Received by Communications Bureau ..................1,132,943 Dispatched Calls for Service .....................................................343,888 Officer Self Initiated Responses ................................................ 110,437

Columbus, Ohio Division of Police

Messages from Director Pettus and Chief Quinlan .............................................................. 2

Office of the Chief of Police .................................................................................................... 4

Command Staff ........................................................................................................................ 5

City Zones ................................................................................................................................ 6

Budget ...................................................................................................................................... 8

Demographics.......................................................................................................................... 9

Crime Statistics ..................................................................................................................... 10

Personnel Data ..................................................................................................................... 18

In Memoriam .......................................................................................................................... 24

Division Highlights ............................................................................................................... 26

Bureau Highlights ................................................................................................................. 32

Overcoming a Year of Challenges ....................................................................................... 58

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

2020 was a year like no other, and tested all of us like never before. Few took the brunt of that more directly than our front-line workers, including our health care workers and yes, our public safety forces.

Policing is difficult, demanding, and essential under the best of circumstances. In 2020 our Division faced on-the-job tragedies, intense criticism and scrutiny, historic calls for change, and sweeping reform in how we serve this community. But 2020 was also a year of progress in areas including recruitment, training, diversity and inclusion, community engagement and independent investigations.

75% of the Community Safety Advisory Commission recommendations, and nearly 85% of the independent Matrix report recommendations are either completed, in progress, or approved pending funding or changes in the union contract.

To ensure accountability and public trust, Public Safety implemented an outside investigation process for citizen complaints related to police protest response.

These reviews were responsive to the public’s demand for independent investigation and accountability, and led to identification of gaps in the division that were addressed through changes in policy/practice. Voters approved the first-ever Columbus Police Civilian Review Board, along with an independent Inspector General to investigate allegations of police misconduct.

Innovative and robust recruiting efforts resulted in the most diverse recruit classes in decades. The December 2020 Recruit Class boasted 47% diversity. The summer 2020 applicant pool reached 49% diversity. The Police Cadet Program established in 2019 is already producing strong results. CPD’s second cadet class has 71% diversity, with three cadets making the 134th Recruit Class.

Police and Fire implemented Emergency Management and Incident Command Systems to ensure their vital 24/7 services to the public throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For first responders without the luxury of working from home or social distancing, maintaining the safety of personnel and the public required extensive changes including decontamination, quarantining of personnel, revisions of policies regarding non-violent crime, and developing special staffing contingencies.

We expanded the use of ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology as a tool in the fight against gun violence, expanding the three current locations (Linden, Southside and Hilltop) by one square mile each, and the installation of a fourth location on the East side.

The City partnered with the National Network for Safe Communities and Criminologist David M. Kennedy at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. NNSC’s Gun Violence Intervention maps out who is driving serious violence in Columbus, and concentrates on those at highest risk for violent victimization and reoffending. Kennedy is among the nation’s most respected experts in the field of modern policing.

Through every challenge they faced in 2020, the women and men of CPD stayed focused on the mission of protecting and serving our great city. Along with fighting crime, they built relationships and gave back. In partnership with the Starfish Assignment, our officers provided hundreds of kids with bicycles, served countless meals to our neighbors in need, and reinforced the humanity behind the badge.

We moved into the new year with a renewed focus on our core values: Respect. Excellence. Integrity. Compassion. Accountability.

Director’s MessageDirector’s Message

Ned Pettus Jr., PhD. Director of Public Safety

Ned Pettus, Jr. PhD. Director of Public Safety

A once-in-a-century pandemic coupled with historic community engagement on policing provided the backdrop for 2020. Across the country and here at home, first responders were at the forefront during this unprecedented year. Despite the very real dangers of COVID-19, the Division of Police adapted in real time to continuously evolving virus safety protocols while simultaneously addressing passionate sentiments on policing and how we serve our community. These efforts encouraged new community-police relationships that will fundamentally reshape policing in our city. To be sure, the events of 2020 will have a permanent and irreversible impact on the policing profession.

When I assumed the office of the Chief of Police officially on February 9, 2020, the theme of my remarks was “We’ve only just begun.” I expressed a sincere vision for creating transformational change and noted that we’ve only just begun to nurture enduring relationships with our community.

By March 14, the Division implemented a large-scale response plan to address the pandemic which fundamentally changed how the Division responded to calls for service and interacted with the public. Although the delivery method of some services were necessarily altered, the level of public service was not diminished. Over the course of the year many members of the Division of Police were affected personally by COVID-19 and some tragically lost family members. Officers are used to the inherent risks associated with policing, but a new dynamic in 2020 was the very real possibility of officers bringing danger home to their families in the form of a deadly virus. And yet officers persevered and continued to engage in the important work of providing public safety and serving their community.

The early morning of May 28 began with the shooting of an In/Tac officer while serving a search warrant. The officer fortunately survived his near-fatal injuries. Later that same day, protests erupted in Columbus and around the country in response to the death of George Floyd caused by a Minneapolis police officer. His tragic death was the impetus for outrage and in the days and weeks that followed, protests ensued. Unfortunately at times, these protests became destructive and violent riots that jeopardized the safety of the public and the peaceful protestors. This demanded a swift response by public safety forces. A curfew was implemented in the city and the Governor sent the National Guard to assist – a first in my 31 years of service with the city. Columbus, as most major cities, also saw crimes surge in the second half of 2020. After-action investigations of protests and riots, lawsuits and injunctions, legislative actions, a presidential election cycle, and two high-profile officer-involved shootings resulting in the deaths of two men in Columbus continued to impact an already arduous year.

In 2020, protests exposed a fractured police-community relationship and the Division was challenged by demands for reforms that would drive how the community and the police co-exist. Police and elected officials continued to work to adjust to these evolving demands. Of the 219 recommendations made by the Community Safety Advisory Commission and the independent Matrix report, approximately 206 were either completed, approved and in-process, or are currently awaiting funding. These recommendations, designed around the 6 pillars of 21st century policing, have been significantly implemented despite the challenges 2020 presented. Our recruit classes, some of the most diverse ever hired, graduated on-time thanks to policy revisions and staffing contingencies that limited the detrimental impact of COVID-19. The Division also worked toward earning our 8th Accreditation with by CALEA and continued certification by the Ohio Collaborative.

Policing must confront clear and present danger to public safety while meeting community expectations for transparency and accountability. As a step forward, voters approved a first-ever Civilian Review Board and Inspector General to investigate allegations of police misconduct. The Division turned over investigations of officer-involved deadly force encounters to BCI state investigators. A Chief ’s advisory panel of community members was implemented to work on reconciling evolving policies with community expectations. A special response team was also created to deploy to the scene of First Amendment activities. During a tumultuous 2020, “We’ve only just begun” evolved far past what I originally envisioned. Nevertheless, the women and men of the Division of Police remained remarkably focused and dedicated to the mission. To all personnel of the Division, your tenacity has ensured that the important work of public safety remains paramount. I salute you.

Thomas Quinlan Chief of Police

Chief’s MessageChief’s Message

Thomas Quinlan Chief of Police

Mr. Jeff Furbee Legal Advisor

Lieutenant Mark Denner

Watch Commander

Lieutenant Howard Pettengill

Organizational Accountability Aide

Lieutenant Daniel Hargus

Watch Commander

Sergeant Daniel Weaver

Public Corruption Task Force

Sergeant James Fuqua

Public Information Unit

Lieutenant Larry Yates

Watch Commander

Sergeant Dianne Yandrich Executive Officer

Lieutenant Timothy Myers

Watch Commander

Officer Julie Becker

Public Corruption Task Force

Thomas Quinlan Chief of Police

Office of the Chief of PoliceOffice of the Chief of Police

Commander Mark Gardner Internal Affairs

Deputy Chief Michael A. Woods Patrol Operations Subdivison

Commander Mark Lang Training

Deputy Chief Kenneth J. Kuebler Special Operations Subdivision

Commander Nicholas Konves

Community Response

Commander Robert Meader

Communications

Commander Terry Moore

Traffic

Commander Robert Strausbaugh

Major Crimes

Commander Kelly Weiner

Special Victims

Deputy Chief Timothy A. Becker Criminal Investigations Subdivision

Commander Michael Gray

Zone One

Commander David Hughes

Wellness

Commander Robert Sagle

Special Services

Deputy Chief Richard A. Bash Public Accountability Subdivision

Commander Scott Hyland

Property Crimes

Manager Susan Deskins

Records Management

Manager Angela Farrington Crime Laboratory

Commander Alexander Behnen

Support Operations

Deputy Chief Jennifer Knight Community Services Subdivision

Commander David Griffith Professional

Standards

Manager Mitchell Clay

Fiscal Operations

Manager Amy Van Pelt

Human Resources

Commander Joseph Echenrode Drug Enforcement

Commander Dennis Jeffrey

Zone Four

Commander Joseph Schrader

Zone Three

Commander Elrico Alli Zone Two

Commander Smith Weir Zone Five

Deputy Chief Gregory Bodker Support Services Subdivison

Executive/Command StaffExecutive/Command Staff

Zone 1

Zone 4

Zone 5

Zone 3

Zone 2

City ZonesCity Zones

The five zones divide the nearly 226 square miles which comprise the City of Columbus.

Each of these zones have different demographics, economic composition,

neighborhood identification, and distinct opportunities for improvement. Patrol

officers consistently strive to serve the needs of each community or neighborhood.

City ZonesCity Zones

The Columbus Division of Police Patrol Subdivision is comprised of five patrol zones and approximately 58% of the sworn staffing of the Division. Each zone serves a separate and distinct part of the City of Columbus. Zone 1 is the “Northern Cap” of the city, Zone 2 is traditionally referred to as “the Southside,” Zone 3 is traditionally referred to as “the Westside,” Zone 4 is commonly known for The Ohio State University off-campus area and the Linden community, and Zone 5 is primarily “Downtown.”

Patrol is defined in its broadest sense as the primary and first responding law enforcement function responsible for protecting life and property, enforcing laws, and taking all appropriate measures to combat crime. The five Zones of the Patrol Operations Subdivision are committed to enhancing public safety by fostering a positive relationship and cooperative interaction between the Division of Police and the community.

Patrol officers are the most visible and recognizable face of the Columbus Division of Police. Our hope is that the Division will ultimately reflect the diversity of our community through our ongoing recruiting efforts. Our officers represent various beliefs, faiths, backgrounds, upbringings, and ethnicities; however, when patrol officers arrive, ready to serve, all of those differences are put aside and they work toward the common goal of protecting the citizens of the City of Columbus.

BudgetBudget

DemographicsDemographics

Sworn PersonnelSworn Personnel

Civilian PersonnelCivilian Personnel

RecruitsRecruits

Crime StatisticsCrime Statistics

10 Year Comparison of Population to Sworn Strength10 Year Comparison of Population to Sworn Strength

Sworn per 1,000 PopulationSworn per 1,000 Population

Crime StatisticsCrime Statistics

Priority 1 Calls for Service by Zone and DayPriority 1 Calls for Service by Zone and Day

Priority 2 Calls for Service by Zone and DayPriority 2 Calls for Service by Zone and Day

Crime StatisticsCrime Statistics

Calls for Service by Precinct and ShiftCalls for Service by Precinct and Shift

Calls for Service by Zone & SourceCalls for Service by Zone & Source

Crime StatisticsCrime Statistics

10 Year Comparison of Part 1 Violent Crime10 Year Comparison of Part 1 Violent Crime NIBRS Data from Ohio Office of Criminal Justice ServicesNIBRS Data from Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services

Part 1 Violent Crimes - Murder, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated AssaultPart 1 Violent Crimes - Murder, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault

Number of Part 1 Violent Crimes per 1,000 Population - 10 Year ComparisonNumber of Part 1 Violent Crimes per 1,000 Population - 10 Year Comparison Part 1 Violent Crimes - Murder, Rape, Robbery, AggravatedAssault Part 1 Violent Crimes - Murder, Rape, Robbery, AggravatedAssault

Crime StatisticsCrime Statistics

10 Year Comparison of Part I Property Crimes10 Year Comparison of Part I Property Crimes NIBRS Data from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice ServicesNIBRS Data from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services Part I Property Crimes - Burglary, Larceny Theft, Vehicle TheftPart I Property Crimes - Burglary, Larceny Theft, Vehicle Theft

Number of Part I Property Crimes per 1,000 PopulationNumber of Part I Property Crimes per 1,000 Population Part I Property Crimes - Burglary, Larceny Theft, Vehicle TheftPart I Property Crimes - Burglary, Larceny Theft, Vehicle Theft

Crime StatisticsCrime Statistics

Total Number of Part I and Part II Arrests per YearTotal Number of Part I and Part II Arrests per Year Part I - Murder, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Larceny Theft, Vehicle TheftPart I - Murder, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Larceny Theft, Vehicle Theft

Part II - All OtherPart II - All Other

10 Year Comparison of Homicide10 Year Comparison of Homicide Numbers from the Assault/Homicide SectionNumbers from the Assault/Homicide Section

Crime StatisticsCrime Statistics

* Murder numbers as reported by Division Homicide Unit **MORPC-Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission figures update for 2017 OIBRS-Ohio Incident Based Reporting System reported by Ohio’s Office of Criminal Justice Services OIBRS Part I Violent Crimes- Murder, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault OIBRS Part I Property Crimes - Burglary, Motor Vehicle Thefts, Larceny/Theft

311 Requests - CPD Responses: ................................................................................................................15,412

CPD Internal Policies Revised:...........................................................................................................................88

Media Releases issued by the Public Information Office: ..................................................................................52

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Responses to Mental Health Runs: ............................................................15,381

Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) Responses to Mental Health Runs:.........................................................14,868

The Rapid Response Emergency Addiction and Crisis Team (RREACT) conducted 5,192 outreach attempts on 3,273 overdose survisors, resulting in 649 direct patient contacts of 519 unduplicated patients. Of the 519 patients, RREACT linked and transported 148 directly to treatment services and provided treatment service referrals to 29 additional patients

* Dr. William Huesel has been indicted for nine (9) homicides during 2017 and Twelve (12) homicides during 2018 which occurred at Mt. Carmel Health facilities. These homicides are included in the total number of homicides reported for the years 2017 and 2018.

Citizen Complaints and Use of ForceCitizen Complaints and Use of Force

10 Year Comparison of Citizen Complaints10 Year Comparison of Citizen Complaints

AwardsAwards

Officer Of The Month Award Month Officer January Officers Charles Radich & Daniel Wolf February Officer James Howe March Officer Joseph Murray April Officers Michael Hicks & Mark Young May Sgt. Shaun Laird June Officer Rob Barrett July Sgt. Kevin Corcoran August Sgt. Smith-Hughes, Sgt. Lindsey Alli, Officers Aissha Broussard, Wil James, Samuel James, Ehyrn Kinzel, and Kiara Husband September Officer Lowell Smittle October Officer David Mcguire November ----- December -----

Civilian Of The Quarter Award 1st Quarter 2020 Lisa Malloure 2nd Quarter 2020 Firearms Section: Kelby Ducat, Brian Johnson,

Erica Pattie, Caleb Worley 3rd Quarter 2020 Yvonne Haskell 4th Quarter 2020 Jenn Dieringer

Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, a formal Awards Ceremony was unable to be held to recognize awards recipients for 2020. However, for the first time, a Virtual Awards Ceremony video was compiled with assistance from Columbus Government Television (CTV), and the listed personnel were recognized for their receipt of a Division Award. Congratulations to these Division employees for their achievements.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Franklin County On October 16, several Columbus Division of Police personnel were honored by NAMI Franklin County for their outstanding service in the area of mental health and crisis intervention. Commander Dennis Jeffrey, for his “humongous heart for mental health and addiction. He has a tender heart. He has been innovative and collaborative, and is always looking for ways to improve our whole system in Franklin County.” Crisis Intervention Team Patrol Officer of the Year Officer Deborah Paxton, who approaches everyone “with patience and compassion. She researches possible options and coordinates with various agencies to provide the best service she can to those in the community. Some people...actually request Officer Paxton by name because of the trust she’s built with them.” And Telecommunications Dispatcher of the Year Nathan Coffield, because “He uses his Crisis Intervention Team skills and procedures to optimize outcomes for families, and those in crisis, and officers. He developed a narrative that highlights how the use of careful listening and communication skills can lead to better outcomes when taking calls from the community and relaying that information to officers. Because often when people call, they are excited, they are stressed, they are afraid. And for him to be able to get that information and be able to relay it in a concise and effective manner, is vital for everyone involved.”

AwardsAwards

AwardsAwards Distinguished Service Medal John D. Dollmatsch, Carl Harmon, Kyle McKeon

Timmeka Alexander Trent Allen Joshua Bell Scott Branch Seth Casto Chris Cline Shannon Dearwester Aaron Dennis James Dickson

Kevin Eckenrode Richard Ford Tim Hamilton Brandon Harmon Michael Hicks Nathan Howard Max Jacobs Kenneth Kerr

James Kirk Nicholas Lauer Sgt. Benjamin Leppla Joel Little William Mallernee Rachel Martin Dean Prantl Jessica Rock

Nicholas Sands Nathan Schwartz Robert Smallwood Ace Trask Jeffrey Ward Elizabeth Weeks Trevor Wolfe Mark Young

Medal of Merit

Blue Star Derek Blaine Benjamin Branford Zachariah May Michael Moran Patrick Nance

Special Commendation Keaton Anderson Pete Casuccio Adam Dague Kyle Evans Andrew Fogle 911 ED Misty Logan

First Aid/Lifesaving Joseph Abdalla Paul Badois Derek Ball Jason Bauchmoyer Thomas Baughn Nathan Bruggeman Matthew Cannell Kevin Case Pete Casuccio Keith Conner Kenneth Coontz John Cooper Ronald Costa Joseph Dickson Levi Dotson Brett Drake Nicholas Duty Fletcher Farr James Gillespie Heidi Graber Charles Harshbarger Tyler Hicks Jordan Hilgenberg Nathan Howard

Connor Hughes Ryan Kaethow Timothy Keller Joshua Kinzel Sgt. Kenneth Kropp Jason Kulp Jeffrey Lazar Sgt. Paul Lively Rachel Martin Bryan Maselli Anthony Pray Jonathan Randle Adam Reidling Randolph Rich James Ruark Joshua Seymour Joe Shalek Jacob Smith Robert Spann Amy Steck Brian Sweeny Sgt. Rashawn Sykes James Tackett Sgt. Nikolaos Velalis Christopher Wayner

Zachariah May Joshua Milstead Aaron Napoli James Poole David Scarpitti Patrick Seaman

Nicholas Smith Jack Snyder Sgt. Trent Taylor James Watkins James Wells

Citizen Commendation Ms. Colleen Adkins Ms. Mary Cumming Mr. Damon Gabbert Mr. Richard Harris Ms. Tami Hayen

Meritorious Public Service Ms. Nicole Banks Mr. G. Thomas Keesee, Jr.

Ms. Casey Kim Mr. James Lee Mr. Roger Lewis Ms. Krishia Osborne Ms. Kerith Palletti

Ms. Nicole Banks

AwardsAwards

Badge #1 On Wednesday, July 8, 2020, Officer Kurt Goldenbagen received the Senior Patrol Officer - Bill Smith Award and was presented with Badge #1 to be recognized as the Division’s Senior Patrol Officer. Officer Goldenbagen’s name was also added to the Senior Patrol Officer - Bill Smith Award plaque that is displayed in the lobby of Central Police Headquarters. This award was named in memory of Bill Smith, an officer who served the Division with distinction from May 5, 1899 until June 11, 1949, working a uniform patrol assignment until he passed away at 75 years old. This award is given in honor of both Officer Smith’s longevity and his dedication to duty. Officer Goldenbagen has 35 years of service with the Division of Police and has dedicated his entire career to Patrol operations. For the past 9 years and through present day, he has served on 15 A company. He will wear Badge #1 symbolically on his uniform to represent senior officer status. Congratulations to Officer Goldenbagen for this recognition of his dedication.

CIVITAN Since 1995 the Central Columbus Civitan Club Badge of Honor has been awarded annually to recognize those Firefighters and Police Officers who are true heroes in their communities and reflect the motto of Civitan International, “Builders of Good Citizenship.” CME Credit Union is honored to continue this tradition. Officer Dean Collins was selected as the recipient of this honor for 2020. Officer Collins has worked in Patrol for the past 14 years and has served as a member of the 121st Air Refueling

Wing, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. In the past several years, he has deployed to multiple countries across Europe, Asia and Africa. Officer Collins has also developed a community outreach initiative to serve others which includes teaching veterans, children and their parents to play the guitar and harmonica and promotes music education among the community he serves. Since 2018, Officer Collins has voluntarily taught in a local bluegrass school located in the South side of Columbus. In addition, he has interacted with veterans in ongoing efforts to play at the Columbus VA clinic and instruct for guitar4vets.org. In 2019, Officer Collins was recognized and awarded a Writer EXPY from the National Association of Experts, Writers and Speakers due to his contribution to the book Leo Learns About Life. In this children’s anthology, Collins teamed up with other writers, including New York Times best-selling author Jack Canfield to write short stories designed to teach invaluable lessons to children. Collins’ illustrated chapter involved teaching children to have vision, purpose and passion in life while they set goals and dream big about their future endeavors. Due to public gatherings being limited by the pandemic, Officer Collins will receive his award in 2021.

Promotions and RetirementsPromotions and Retirements

Sergeant Joseph Horton 12/24/1989 - 1/6/2020 Commander Christopher Bowling 4/17/1988 - 1/10/2020 Officer Teresa Bowling 10/16/1988 - 1/10/2020 Officer Brian Lacy 6/14/1987 - 1/10/2020 Officer Curtis Edmundson 8/24/1986 - 1/15/2020 Officer Michael Higgins 11/22/1992 - 1/24/2020 Officer John T O’Donnell 12/11/1988 - 1/24/2020 Commander Gary Cameron 10/4/1987 - 1/24/2020 Sergeant Kenneth Tischler 12/11/1988 - 1/25/2020 Officer Lonnie Daugherty 12/24/1989 - 2/3/2020 Officer Sharon Liebrecht 6/1/1997 - 2/3/2020 Officer Kevin Morris 4/17/1988 - 3/5/2020 Sergeant Donna Alexander 5/21/1995 - 3/21/2020 Officer Mitchell Seckman 9/15/1991 - 3/21/2020 Officer Brett Britton 6/14/1987 - 3/27/2020 Officer John Gillis 6/14/1987 - 4/3/2020 Officer Jodie Bokemper 5/21/1995 - 4/15/2020 Commander Michael Springer 11/18/1984 - 4/24/2020 Officer Tom Palsgrove 9/3/1989 - 5/1/2020 Sergeant Jeffrey Strayer 5/27/1990 - 5/8/2020 Sergeant Edward Reardon 9/26/1993 - 5/15/2020 Officer James Sandford 10/16/1988 - 5/22/2020 Officer Melissa Carlson 10/4/1987 - 5/30/2020 Officer Willard McIntosh 10/16/1988 - 6/4/2020 Officer William Doherty 2/28/1993 - 6/4/2020 Officer Jacqueline Mitchell 6/14/1987 - 6/12/2020 Officer Nathan Wheeler 10/16/1988 - 6/12/2020 Officer Michael Votaw 6/14/1987 - 6/12/2020 Officer James Gravett 12/23/1990 - 6/13/2020 Officer Kevin Tilson 6/14/1987 - 6/19/2020 Officer David Allen 12/23/1990 - 6/19/2020 Officer Robert Schons 6/1/1997 - 6/26/2020 Officer Craig Cutteridge 6/16/1985 - 6/30/2020 Sergeant Mark Rapp 4/17/1988 - 7/3/2020 Sergeant Trent Taylor 12/18/1994 - 7/3/2020 Officer Timothy Whetstone 11/10/1991 - 7/4/2020 Officer William White 6/14/1987 - 7/6/2020 Officer Ronald Zaleski 7/19/1992 - 7/9/2020 Officer Donald Pore 12/20/2004 - 7/10/2020 Officer Timothy Schmitz 9/15/1991 - 7/11/2020 Officer Bettylynn Farkas 12/7/1980 - 7/17/2020 Officer Thomas Casimir 12/24/1989 - 7/24/2020 Officer Daniel Douglas 2/28/1993 - 8/8/2020 Officer Garey Scott 11/22/1992 - 8/21/2020 Officer Jon Compson 7/19/1992 - 8/29/2020 Officer Alan Sorensen 7/19/1992 - 9/1/2020 Officer Steven Boggs 6/20/1993 - 9/4/2020 Officer Brian Bishop 2/28/1993 - 9/5/2020 Officer Larry Shoaf 12/18/1994 - 9/10/2020 Officer David Howard 2/28/1993 - 9/17/2020 Officer Tony Foster 11/6/1994 - 9/18/2020 Officer Leona Bell 9/24/1995 - 9/24/2020 Officer Matthew Grasham 11/22/1992 - 10/1/2020 Officer Robert Connor 7/19/1992 - 10/2/2020 Officer David Harp 11/10/1991 - 10/2/2020 Officer Susan Sansbury 6/14/1987 - 10/9/2020 Officer Anne Novotny(Pennington) 10/4/1987 - 10/10/2020 Officer Kathy Wiseman 10/4/1987 - 10/10/2020 Sergeant Robert Forsythe 12/24/1989 - 10/17/2020 Officer Lowell Whitt 5/19/1996 - 10/17/2020 Officer Gregory Rush 10/4/1987 - 10/23/2020 Officer Danny Harper 10/4/1987 - 10/23/2020 Officer David Hammerberg 9/24/1995 - 10/26/2020 Officer Kenneth Linscott 11/10/1991 - 10/30/2020 Officer Charles Joyce 10/16/1988 - 11/2/2020 Officer Robert Koenig 4/17/1988 - 11/2/2020 Officer Kenneth Dale 12/24/1989 - 11/2/2020 Officer William Beard 12/18/2006 - 11/12/2020 Officer Hobert Justice 12/17/1995 - 11/17/2020 Officer Ralph Taylor 12/13/1987 - 11/27/2020 Officer Rozalia Dockery 12/13/1987 - 12/4/2020 Sergeant Fay Gordon 10/4/1987 - 12/4/2020 Officer Joel Weber 10/28/1990 - 12/4/2020 Officer Andre Jones 12/13/1987 - 12/4/2020 Officer Debra Paxton 12/17/1995 - 12/4/2020 Officer Howard Brenner 12/13/1987 - 12/10/2020 Officer Jay Fulton 12/13/1987 - 12/11/2020 Office Assistant II Catherine Mays 9/7/1997 - 1/1/2020 Property Clerk Clarence Tuller 11/12/1989 - 4/30/2020 Public Safety Manager Susan Deskins 4/21/1985 - 10/16/2020

RetirementsPromotions Commander David B. Griffith, Jr. 1/24/20 Commander Smith Weir 1/24/20 Lieutenant Ryan McNamara 1/24/20 Lieutenant Ralph Guglielmi 1/24/20 Sergeant Alexander Stallings 1/24/20 Sergeant James Murawski 1/24/20 Chief Thomas Quinlan 2/9/20 Deputy Chief Jennifer Knight 5/3/20 Commander Dennis Jeffrey 5/3/20 Commander Elrico Alli 5/3/20 Lieutenant Charles Waldenga 5/3/20 Lieutenant Christopher Lieb 5/3/20 Sergeant Nikolaos Velalis 5/3/20 Sergeant Ryan Byrge 5/3/20 Sergeant Tyler Wells 5/3/20 Sergeant Brandon Petry 5/3/20 Sergeant Ty Stoneking 5/3/20 Sergeant Michael Dunlevy 7/12/20 Sergeant Russell Redman III 7/12/20 Sergeant Donald Dawson 7/12/20 Commander Nicholas Konves 11/13/20 Lieutenant Lee Hurst 11/13/20 Lieutenant Benjamin Messerly 11/13/20 Sergeant Shannon Dearwester 11/13/20 Sergeant Jeffrey Mooney 11/13/20 Sergeant Amber Rich 11/13/20 Sergeant Franklin Lucci 11/13/20 Sergeant Jeremy Jefferson 11/13/20 Fingerprint Technician Joseph Hartlaub 2/9/20 911 Emergency Dispather Sara Sprague 3/8/20 911 Emergency Dispatcher Chelsey Wyatt 5/3/20 911 Emergency Dispatcher Nathan Smith 5/3/20 911 Emergency Dispatcher Tiffany Bailes 5/17/20 911 Emergency Dispatcher Nicole Olson 7/12/20 911 Emergency Dispatcher Aaron Randall 7/12/20 Forensic Scientist II Kara Horton 8/9/20 Forensic Scientist II Erica Miller 8/9/20 Forensic Scientist III Brian Johnson 11/19/20

Commander Chris Bowling Commander Chris Bowling retired after 31 years with the Columbus Division of Police alongside his wife Officer Tracy Bowling. They both began the Training Academy in 1988, Commander Bowling in April and Officer Bowling in October of that same year. Commander Bowling was promoted to Sergeant in 1995, Lieutenant in 2001, and Commander in 2012. Commander Bowling ended his career as the Commander of the Communications Bureau, overseeing the Division’s Radio Room. In April the Bowlings also celebrated 30 years of marriage! Cheers to both of you for wonderful careers and tremendous devotion to the Division.

Promotions and RetirementsPromotions and Retirements

Commander Gary Cameron Commander Gary Cameron retired on January 24, 2020 after 32 years with the Columbus Division of Police. Commander Cameron joined the Division in 1987, was promoted to Sergeant in 1993, Lieutenant in in 2000, and Commander in 2011. His last assignment was Commander of Patrol Zone 1 (north Columbus). He also spent time in Patrol, Training, and Narcotics. His wife Nancy Cameron and brother Mike Cameron will keep the Cameron name going strong at CPD - Nancy as an administrative assistant and Officer Mike Cameron in the Mounted Unit.

Commander Mike Springer After 35 years with the Columbus Division of Police, on April 24, 2020, Commander Mike Springer called it a career. He joined CPD in 1984 and spent time as a patrol officer, was promoted to sergeant in 1991, lieutenant in 1997 and commander in 2005. Commander Springer’s last assignment was the Traffic Bureau. His calm demeanor, kind personality, devotion to the Division and love of family and friends is how Commander Springer will be remembered most. Commander’s little brother, Officer Matt Springer, will continue to carry the CPD Springer torch!

Commander Rhonda Grizzell Commander Rhonda Grizzell finished her career with the Columbus Division of Police on October 2, 2020. Following her departure, she will now serve as Reynoldsburg’s deputy chief of police. Grizzell began her career with the City of Columbus in 1994 when she started as a patrol officer. During her tenure, Grizzell served in a variety of positions, including patrol bureau commander, property crimes bureau commander, training bureau commander, and more than a decade as a patrol officer. Grizzell brings with her 17 years of supervisory experience and was involved in the creation of youth programming, wellness initiatives, and the Therapy Dog unit. “I had the distinct privilege of starting the Therapy dog Unit and it was probably one of the best things I’ve gotten to do,” she said. “It’s a tremendous tool for law enforcement.”

Public Safety Manager Susan Deskins In 1985, Ms. Susan Deskins followed in her father’s footstep joining the Columbus Division if Police. As a civilian employee, she devoted 35 years to CPD. She began her career as a fingerprint technician, and worked her way up to managing the entire Records Management Bureau. In 2020, she said goodbye to a wonderful career and hello to the next chapter in her life. Congratulations Ms. Deskins!

In MemoriamIn Memoriam

Remembering Chief Earl Burden

May 25, 1927 – January 26, 2020

Retired Columbus Police Chief Earl Burden passed away January 26, 2020 at 92 years old. Chief Burden served as the law enforcement leader for the city of Columbus from 1972-1983, as the 28th Chief of the Columbus Division of Police. Following his time served in the Navy, which he entered at the young age of 18, he became a Columbus Police Patrolman in 1952 as part of the 19th recruit class. He served his community well, and also worked his way up the ranks, and was appointed to Deputy Chief in 1969, and was then appointed as Chief of Police on April 4, 1972. He was a pioneer in engaging the community and stated in a 1977 report, “The war against crime is not the exclusive responsibility of a law enforcement agency. Reduction of crime will come about only if the community and all criminal justice agencies work together.” He responded to the increasing crime rate in 1980 with reassignment of all available officers to Patrol, and the creation of special community programs to further involve citizens in crime prevention. During Chief Burden’s time in office, the entire nation was facing great racial strife and political division. Despite the turbulence of those times, he kept order and calm, but also recognized the need for change. Following his retirement from CPD in 1983, he still remained active in the community and with the Division. He was a source of advice for his successors, and served as a historian, imparting his knowledge on those who followed in his footsteps. In 2016, he attended the CPD Bicentennial Celebration alongside other former Chiefs to celebrate 200 years as an agency. The Columbus Division of Police is truly grateful for his leadership and life of service.

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Jeff Clark Always a friend to the Columbus Division of Police, Mr. Jeff Clark passed away on February 21, 2020. With his infamous greeting, “Hey, Hey, Hey, you know me!” he would speak to police officers as friends, and offer his assistance when he could. Many officers who worked the University District remember him as a fixture in the area, always there to tell officers what was going on, and sometimes even helping chase or apprehend a suspect. Though he was never an official member of the Division of Police, his funeral included police honors, was presided over by Police Chaplain William Hartfelder, and attended by many retired and current officers, as well as friends he had made over the years. They recounted many stories of

Jeff’s heroics, and his selflessness. Homeless for much of his adult life, retired CPD Officer Seymour Ludwig provided him a room rent-free in a building he owned on King Avenue, where Jeff lived for nearly two decades. On display were two commendations from the Division of Police, one in 2008 for assisting in the capture of a robbery suspect, and one in 2013, celebrating his 70th birthday. Commander Dave Hughes met Jeff as a rookie officer in the early 2000s and over the years they developed a special relationship and became like family. Commander Hughes became Jeff’s guardian in 2011, and Jeff attended Hughes’ promotion to Commander in 2019 alongside his family, clapping loudly and saluting his friend proudly. “We lost a good man today. ‘Honorary’ CPD Retired Officer Jefferson Anthony Clark. He was 76 and a friend to all of law enforcement and a fixture in the short north and campus areas for decades. He never had a bad day and was always helpful in his crime fighting efforts,” said Commander Dave Hughes.

Sgt. Bruce Whittaker 1967 – 2020

On Tuesday, April 14, 2020, Sergeant Bruce Whittaker passed away due to health complications. Sergeant Whittaker was a 21 year veteran of the

Columbus Division of Police and a member of the 99th recruit class. He was promoted to Sergeant on May 2, 2010. He served in Patrol and most recently as a Community Liaison Sergeant. Sergeant Whittaker had served honorably

as a United States Marine. Sergeant Whittaker will be remembered for his great personality and laughter.

Dale Thomas May 2, 1962 – August 24, 2020

Dale Thomas, a Programmer Analyst assigned to the Technical Services Section passed away at The James on August 24, 2020, after an eight- month battle with cancer. Dale was a 1980 graduate of Gahanna Lincoln and received his associate degree from Columbus State Community College. He began his career in IT at Chase Bank, before becoming employed with the Division of Police in 2005 as a Police Communications Technician. After seven years in the Communications Bureau, Dale accepted a position as a Programmer Analyst in the Technical Services Section. Dale’s combination of warm personality, technical skills, and a desire to help, made him very successful. Dale also worked as a part-time police officer with Sharon Township for the last 14 years. He will be missed.

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Graduations 132nd Recruit Class Graduation – January 3, 2020 On January 3, 2020, the 132nd Columbus Police Recruit Class graduated at the Columbus Police Academy. The class of 52 represent: Columbus Police; Columbus Division of Fire; Delaware, Ohio Police Department; Grove City Division of Police; Hilliard Division of Police; Newark Division of Police; and Reynoldsburg Division Of Police. One new officer, recruit class president Shawn Delgado, was a gunnery sergeant with Lima

Company, 3rd Battalion. One new officer received the highest score ever on the state certification exam at CPD, missing only one question out of 200. Another new officer was formerly a CPD Explorer and a graduate of Columbus Downtown High School and specialized his education around law enforcement.

133rd Recruit Class Graduation – July 2, 2020

On July 2, 2020, the 133rd Columbus Police Recruit Class graduated at the Columbus Police Academy after completing 29 weeks of training. The class was comprised of 68 officers; 43 Columbus officers and 25 officers representing ten outside agencies, including Genoa Township and Delaware County Sherriff’s Office, who were sending recruits through the Columbus Police Academy for the first time. Unfortunately, the graduation ceremony was closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and no family or friends were in attendance.

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New Recruit Classes On July 13, the Division welcomed a new recruit class with 53 members which included nearly 39% female and minority representation. There were eight officers representing Bexley, Delaware County, Gahanna, Grove City, London and Newark in this class. Despite the ongoing challenges and limitations presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Academy Staff was able to successfully continue training this class throughout 2020. This recruit class will be the first to receive an additional 28 hours of community immersion training. This new training consists primarily of community panels who will speak with the recruits about their experiences with the police as members of the new American, African-American, and LGBTQ communities as well as individuals who have special needs, are experiencing homelessness, or battling addiction. In the future, these new blocks of training will involve community projects led by groups of new officers, with a goal to provide officers with a better understanding of the communities they serve and a better connection with the people who live there. The 134th recruit class will graduate in February 2021.

On December 14, 45 new Columbus police recruits began working toward careers as first responders as members of the 135th recruit class. A focus of the Division has been to increase diversity among the ranks, and this class included nineteen members who are female or non-white, representing about 42% of the entire class. “With 42% diversity, we believe this class has the highest percentage of diversity of any class in the Division’s recent history,” said Deputy Chief Jennifer Knight. “We are excited to see these qualified men and women coming to the Division with a desire to serve the residents of Columbus and be trained by the best. The Division is excited about the opportunities this class represents for the Division and the citizens of this City.”

Cadet Program The inaugural Cadet class completed their basic training in 2020 and began doing four-month rotations in various units throughout the Division. 77 people applied for the Cadet program, and 60 of those applicants met the minimum requirements and were interviewed. On September 21, 2020 the second Cadet class at CPD began its training with 15 members in the class. There was a 68% rate of diversity among the cadets selected for the 2nd class. The Cadet program, a paid internship, continues to serve as a pipeline to policing for young men and women in the community. The men and women who participate in this program complete 16 weeks of training and then complete various assignments within the Division. Their training includes policing topics, scenario based training and physical fitness. The goal of the

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program is to bring in young people from the community, and to prepare them for entrance into the Training Academy. “Women in law-enforcement is so important, and they’re working through diversity, I think that that’s very great,” said Emily Geier, Cadet. Sgt. Lindsey Alli is leading the training program. For her, this program is the pathway to change. “A lot of departments across the nation don’t have a lot of diversity within the ranks and so if we can instill in the young adults that there is a place for them in leadership roles in police departments as well you will start to see that reform and things that people are asking for right now,” said Sgt. Alli.

In December, the Division had its first ever CPD Cadet to become a Recruit. Ashley Slane followed the path from Police Explorer as a teen to a paid internship with the Cadet program to Recruit upon her acceptance into the Training Academy. She was welcomed as one of the 45 members of the 135th Recruit class. A few days later Cadets Ashley Parker and Timothy Montgomery got a “promotion” and were also called to join the recruit class.

Deputy Chief Promotion Jennifer Knight was named the next Deputy Chief for the Division on April 4, 2020. Deputy Chief Knight served as Acting Deputy Chief in the Community Services Subdivision when Chief Thomas Quinlan was named Interim Chief. She implemented the Police Cadet Program, the PACT Program, and has been instrumental in the Safe Streets Program. She led the restructuring of the Youth Services Unit and serves as a member of the Ohio Attorney General’s Commission on Human Trafficking. Deputy Chief Knight has also worked with the courts to help create the Police Initiated Diversion Program for juvenile non-violent offenders. She earned her law degree from Capital Law School and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy among many other accomplishments including being published in the Police Chief Magazine in 2019 for an article submission on responses to hate crimes.

New Substation On May 3, the $7.3 million dollar Kimberley K. Jacobs Neighborhood Policing Center, located on Sancus and Lazelle, was opened for use. The substation houses 1 Precinct, CRT 1, and Zone 1 Midwatch. The facility has features never before seen in any of CPD’s existing police substations and will be a model for future police facilities. The facility houses the Mobile Substation and also has a tornado shelter. Due to COVID-19 a formal dedication was delayed but a virtual open house was shared online for the public.

Congratulations Columbus Division of Police Deputy Chief Jennifer Knight on her selection to the Leadership Columbus Class of 2021! In nominating her for Leadership Columbus, Safety Director Ned Pettus said Knight “has great potential to significantly move the Division of Police forward.”

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Podcasts In 2020, the Columbus Division of Police announced the debut of three new projects utilizing podcasts as a communication platform to collaborate with the community. The podcasts are created and produced by Columbus Division of Police personnel. They can be listened to or downloaded via phone or computer.

Everything but Donuts

Hosted by: Community Liaison Officers Chris Riley and Brian Newsome

Strengthening community relations comes in a variety of ways. Join Columbus Police Community Liaison Officers as they discuss a variety of topics related to safety, security and policing. Take away valuable information in this light-hearted, yet informative podcast.

The 5th Floor

Hosted by: Officers Greg Colarich, Stephanie Lubell and Deputy Chief Greg Bodker

For every case that goes unsolved, a family remains without answers and potentially a killer remains free. Listen as those responsible for investigating the city’s most serious crimes shine a light on these cases and seek new information that may lead them to the answers.

Uncuffed

Hosted by: Columbus Police Recruiting Unit

Bold and unbound conversations from police officers with diverse backgrounds about everyday topics. Join CPD’s Recruiting Unit officers as they talk about life and law enforcement with some laughter and real talk.

40 Year Old Cold Case Solved On June 26, the Division announced that the 1982 cold-case murder of 8-year-old Kelly Prosser was finally solved. Kelly was abducted while walking home from Indianola Elementary School on September 20, 1982. Her body was discovered in a Madison County cornfield two days later. Harold Warren Jarrell, now deceased, was identified as Kelly’s killer. DNA from Jarrell’s family, who cooperated with the investigation, linked him to the murder. After nearly four decades of working the case but it remaining unsolved, CPD employed new investigative techniques to move the case forward. These included the creation of The 5th Floor podcast, which would serve to distribute case information to a larger pool of people in hopes someone would come forward with information, and partnering with genetic genealogists from AdvanceDNA to build the family tree of the person responsible for the murder.

High Risk Domestic Violence Team The High Risk Domestic Violence Team is comprised of a Columbus police officer and a Franklin County Municipal Court probation officer and funded by the federal Violence Against Women Act. The team goes to the homes of domestic violence offenders who are considered at high risk of reoffending. The program started about two years ago after Columbus Police Officer Anthony Roberts went to a conference and heard about such programs in other cities. The 23-year veteran and former domestic violence detective wanted to get a similar program up and running in Columbus. The municipal court probation department also was looking for ways to better supervise domestic violence offenders while offering assistance to victims. Ben Nicholas, who has spent nine years as a probation officer and Roberts, or others among the approximately half-dozen members that rotate onto the team, meet each week to develop a plan and as to who they need to visit. Roberts said when the program started, offenders were not excited

to see a probation officer and a uniformed police officer show up at their door. But victims, who often still live with offenders, are usually happy to know someone is looking out for them. “The goal of the program wasn’t so much to arrest or enforce on the abuser but to allow the victim to know they aren’t alone just because the case was over and the abuser was home.”

Blue Print Safety Grant In October, Franklin County leaders launched a new program to help domestic violence victims. Thanks to a close to $1 million grant, different agencies across Central Ohio teamed up with a goal to keep victims safe and their perpetrators accountable. A spike in domestic violence cases continued in Central Ohio throughout 2020. City and county leaders hope that the “Blue Print Safety” can help with some of the cases. Nine Franklin County agencies received a $900,000 competitive grant from the United States Department of Justice for Violence Against Women. The program includes the Franklin County prosecutor, Columbus Police, and CHOICES for Domestic Violence. It focuses on collaboration between service providers to help with victim safety, making a blue print from an initial call for emergency services through to sentencing and probation.

Firearms “Hot Zones” On October 14, U.S. Attorney David DeVillers announced an increase in enforcement to address gun crimes in two Columbus neighborhoods, identified as federal firearm prosecution “hot zones.” As part of the “hot zone” firearms initiative, federal and local

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law enforcement agencies and prosecuting authorities will jointly identify dangerous offenders for federal prosecution in the Hilltop and Linden neighborhoods. According to local crime statistics, 20 homicides were committed from January to mid-September 2020 on Zone 3, with 11 homicides during that time on 10 precinct alone. Zone 4 includes the Linden area, and during the first eight and a half months of 2020, 24 homicides were committed on that zone. Police seized more than 1,500 illegal firearms via search warrants and misdemeanor and felony investigations from January through September 2020. In September alone, 244 firearms were seized via the same means. Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories, including being a felon, convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense, or under a court authorized restraining order. These crimes can be punished by up to 10 years in federal prison. Mr. DeVillers announced he is shifting resources within his office in order to handle the anticipated increase in federal firearms prosecutions.

CIT Training Week December 7 kicked off CIT training week, where hundreds of police officers and social workers participated, learning various aspects of CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training. Did you know that Columbus Police receives approximately 23,000 calls a year involving behavioral health situations? Crisis Intervention Team training makes a difference in our community.

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Public Accountability SubdivisionPublic Accountability Subdivision Fiscal Management Bureau In 2020 one staff member volunteered for CATCH court/freedom as part of Division Outreach/Community Interaction efforts. In 2016 the Fiscal Administration Section picked up new responsibilities that are housed and processed at the property room. The position is currently vacant but some of the work was able to be covered with Cadet rotations. The Division came in under budget in 2020 for the General Fund Operating Budget.

Human Resources Bureau In March of 2020 due to the state of emergency regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Human Resources Bureau began “Remote-Home” work. This required acquisition of equipment and access for personnel, and the coordination of procedures that allowed HR to continue to serve essential reporting personnel.

Ms. Iris Velasco, Industrial Hygienist, served as the Safety Officer for the Incident Command System in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She coordinated testing for symptomatic employees, performed contact tracing for positive cases, developed and issued protocols and health messaging per guidance from the CDC and local health department, coordinated reporting and tracking for the City travel policy, and procured equipment such as face masks, respirators, thermometers and acrylic barriers. She also served as the Safety Officer during the Division’s response to civil disorder in the summer, resolving issues with PPE and Riot Gear, issuing safety bulletins, and procuring equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire resistant vests and clothing, first aid supplies, etc.

Despite the challenges of 2020, the HR Bureau began the transition of the Bridge payroll system to DayForce. The DayForce implementation will be ongoing in 2021. The transition has presented several areas of opportunity in the processing of very nuanced payroll functions unique to the Division of Police. The HR staff continues to work with Central Payroll and DayForce to ensure improved processing.

Internal Affairs Bureau As a result of the Division’s response to the civil unrest that occurred over the summer, the Internal Affairs Bureau became a conduit for outside entities conducting investigations (both administrative and criminal) and served as a liaison. The Internal Affairs Bureau became the repository for all use of force investigations and duplicated those investigations for outside investigators. IAB also assisted the outside entities as needed with interviews and gathering evidence. Another result of the response to civil disorder was an increase in the number of allegations of misconduct. Over the previous four year period complaints and the number of allegations was trending downward, but the increase in contact caused by the response to civil unrest caused an upward trend for 2020.

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Professional Standards Bureau The Accreditation Unit ensured that the Division was in full compliance with several new and revised standards that were introduced by CALEA in 2020. In August, CALEA completed its third annual Compliance Service Member review of the Division. The Accreditation Unit created Division-wide Law Enforcement Accreditation training and implemented the annual use of force test in the PowerDMS document management system for sworn personnel.

The Research & Development Unit created and continually updated the Pandemic Policy Orders (PPOs) to provide policy direction during the COVID-19 pandemic. R&D sworn personnel assisted in the Emergency Operations Center during the civil unrest events in the summer. The R&D Unit created and revised multiple directives and Division publications based on new city codes and the new MOU with BCI on police involved uses of deadly force, and was responsible for the implementation of the new firearm/taser display data collection form and policy.

PSB held its annual Holiday Drive and chose the Ronald McDonald House as the recipient for 2020. Bureau members donated unwrapped toys and gifts for the children as well as clothing and personnel hygiene supplies for the families who use the facility. The donations were collected and 2 car loads were delivered by Commander Griffith, Lieutenant Evers, MAII Buchanan and Cadet Woodruff.

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Special Operations SubdivisionSpecial Operations Subdivision Communications Bureau

Communications Bureau personnel staffed various events and handled tactical incidents during the course of the year. Bureau Personnel staffed the Emergency Operations Center during a large number of events during 2020, including the Arnold Sports Festival, the civil disturbance during the summer months, as well as incidents stemming from election week. Personnel also handled tactical incidents from within the Columbus Police Emergency Communications Center during the year to include Traffic Emergency Response Team (TERT) call outs, barricade situations involving the deployment of the SWAT Section, high acuity situations such as shootings, and other incidents as needed.

The Geographic Information Services (GIS)/Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) unit completed two special projects in 2020, the implementation of a web based application that would allow Franklin County Children’s Services to check addresses for records of police calls for services, and an upgrade of the CAD system. Work to upgrade the system included copying database records, migrating reports, testing and troubleshooting the new version, and tracking service requests with the vendor.

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Homeland Security Section In 2020, the Homeland Security Section was called upon to ensure daily intelligence reports were provided to the Division. This was prompted by prolonged times of civil unrest within the city. These reports included the Command Situational Report and the Right to Assembly Report, both which provided critical information for leaders to assess activity in Columbus and around the nation. CTU took over responsibility for investigating extremist groups 2019, and the CTU officers proved invaluable in 2020 during weekly protests in the summer in Columbus. CTU officers worked tirelessly to brief command staff on current intelligence and threats and to conduct surveillance during potentially violent protests.

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K-9 Unit The 2019 Matrix Consulting Group report recommended the addition of two new canines and handlers, bringing the unit’s authorized strength to 11. This was accomplished in 2020 with the addition of two new handlers, Sergeant Jason Ayres and Officer James Shockey, who are partnered with two new canines, K-9 Jagger and K-9 Falco. Both canines were trained dual purpose for tracking and explosives detection. Secondary to their normal patrol functions, the new canine teams will assist Columbus Fire Bomb Squad upon request for large events or other necessary functions.

SWAT Unit The City of Columbus saw a record number of felonious assaults and homicides in 2020. The rise in violent crime led to a drastic increase in SWAT requests for warrant service. Members of the SWAT Unit arrested 61 Murder suspects, compared to 20

in 2019 and 40 in 2018. This set a record for SWAT for the number of Murder arrests in a single year. The unit nearly doubled the amount of Felonious Assault arrests from the previous year, with 136 in 2020 compared to 73 in 2019. The total requests for service also continue to consistently rise year to year, helping lead to the increased apprehensions of dangerous felons by members of SWAT.

On March 18, 2020 Columbus Police received a call of regarding a male beating up his wife at a location on Powell Circle in the North Hilltop area. The victim made it safely outside but police were told the suspect, wanted on Domestic Violence and Assault warrants, remained inside the apartment with their 5-month old baby and he had a gun. Patrol officers arrived on scene, but no one answered the apartment door. The SWAT and K9 units and the Hostage negotiators also arrived on scene for what became a barricade situation. It’s believed the suspect fled before officers arrived, but thankfully the baby was recovered safely in the apartment by SWAT officers.

Traffic Bureau Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Traffic Bureau operations were scaled back, work hours were reduced to mitigate the spread of the virus, staffing levels were negatively impacted, and enforcement was reduced. The civil unrest during the summer months also tested the operations of the Traffic Bureau. The Emergency Operations Center was operational on a continual basis from May 28, 2020 through June 14, 2020. It was again operational on a continual basis starting on June 28, 2020 for nine days straight. After those activations, the Emergency Operations Center was open for another eleven activations for events or protests, and two flood wall activations. It was only through cooperative efforts with bureaus from all over the Division, that these activations were successful.

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In addition to the Emergency Operations Center, the Traffic Operations Section was a key component to the success of the Division’s response to the riots and also the election cycle. Officers from the Traffic Bureau, along with officers from mutual aid agencies, were able to effectively cordon off the entire downtown area. Traffic Bureau personnel also planned and executed numerous motorcades for the Presidential Election.

On August 19, Officers with the OVI Countermeasure program, Officer Don Paden and Officer Jim Rease took part in a chicken nugget eating contest at Swenson’s Drive-In Restaurants to help raise money for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Funds raised from the competition went toward the MADD Walk August 29th. Thanks Angela An of 10TV for showing your support and rooting us on!

Event Management Unit Members of the Event Management Unit prepared and presented over 217 incident action plans for the response to the civil disturbance and 65 incident action plans for the Division’s COVID-19 response. In addition to the unprecedented number of activations, the EMU

also supported two flood wall activations as a result of heavy rain in the spring and an election week response ensuring all voting locations within the city were secure. In total, the EMU operated the emergency operations center for 41 incidents/events.

Mounted Unit In 2020, the Mounted Unit was a valuable asset helping to manage large crowds at the downtown civil disturbance locations. The Mounted Unit utilized mutual aid to request assistance from outside agencies to support the Patrol Operations Subdivision endeavor of keeping the peace at the protests. In addition to providing crowd control, the unit engaged in community outreach by visiting congregant living establishments to provide a break from the COVID-19 restrictions. In most cases, the unit paraded around the grounds while residents

interacted from a distance. In September, the unit gained a new supervisor, Sergeant Gregg Seevers, who took the reins from Sergeant Robert Forsythe, who retired after serving the Division for 31 years!

Motorcycle Unit – Senior Officer Most officers would rather not be called “senior” but with 39 years under his gun belt Officer Mike Exline takes the title of most senior police officer serving with the Columbus Division of Police! He was presented a plaque and parking space sign for being the CPD officer with the highest seniority. Officer Exline has spent decades in CPD’s Traffic Bureau, more specifically, the Motorcycle Unit!

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Criminal Investigations SubdivisionCriminal Investigations Subdivision Major Crimes Bureau 2020 was a record setting year of violence in Columbus; homicides and felony assaults climbed significantly in numbers. Individual detectives within the Major Crimes Bureau provided support to community groups. MCB leadership participated in the Violent Crime Review Group regarding violent crime in selected Columbus neighborhoods, and had conversations with local pastors about violent crime. MCB personnel also conducted several news media interviews to alert the community to violent crime.

Members of the bureau held a “Chili for a Cause MCB Chili Cook Off” on January 28th, 2020. MCB donated $658 to the “James Fund for Life.”

On August 13, Detective Scott Polgar and Ms. Maquita Tolliver met by her Linden home to talk with local media in hopes of generating tips as to who took her 19-year-old son’s life. On Sunday, January 26, 2020, at 1:55pm, Columbus Police Officers were called to an area on Yorkhull Lane on the report of gunfire in the parking lot. Upon arrival, officers found an injured male, the victim, 19-year-old Miles Jaye Tolliver, who unfortunately did not survive his injuries after being transported to the hospital. A second victim was found and transported to the hospital in stable condition. The two victims were riding in a vehicle together on Yorkhull Lane when multiple shots were fired at their vehicle from unknown suspect(s). This was the city’s 10th homicide in 2020.

Victim/Witness Services Unit A Victim/Witness Services Unit was created and staffed with one permanent officer in December of 2020, Officer Brian Newsome. The unit has received funds for a pilot project to assist victims/witnesses of violent crimes. This pilot project will occur in 2021 and will involve the homicide unit, felony assault unit, the domestic violence unit and the sexual assault unit.

Task Force Officers In 2020 the ATF task force arrested 23 individuals during Operation Northern Heat. 15 have been indicted, two have been sentenced and 12 have plead for their role in the purchase, transport, and/or sale of firearms in the US and Canada. The task force also arrested and charged seven

individuals for participating in ten armed business robberies. The FBI task force officers assisted with the arrest of a suspect in Mexico who was originally responsible for starting the Columbus MS13 threat group, and also supported a HIDTA mission to rescue a hostage. The SOFAST task force officers had numerous notable arrests of violent fugitives in 2020, and partnered with the human trafficking unit and missing unit to assist in looking for high risk missing children.

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Drug Crimes Bureau On October 19, Drug Cartel Unit detectives executed a search warrant at a location on Joyce Avenue and they recovered approximately 4 kilograms of heroin that was hiding in a bedroom closet behind the walls. This was the result of an investigation where they had conducted surveillance, controlled buys, and followed the seller to his residence. They had learned that several Hispanic drug traffickers that were selling large quantities of heroin, and began the surveillance on Zone 3.

In April 2020, CPD DEA Task Force Officers along with DEA Special Agents conducted an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating on the north side of Columbus. Surveillance led investigators to a Black Chevrolet Tahoe with an Indiana Law Enforcement Supporter license plate. CPD Task Force Officers witnessed an individual take a large box from the vehicle and place it in another vehicle. CPD Canine Sgt. Redding responded and his dog alerted on both vehicles. TFOs and Special Agents searched those vehicles and located 20 kilos of cocaine (valued at two million dollars) and also seized the Tahoe.

On February 10, Zone 4 officers worked with the Criminal Intelligence Unit and the In/Tac Unit to execute a search warrant at a location on Renwood Place. Investigators had information that suggested there would be quite a bit of drugs inside the home. 1,800 grams of powder suspected to be Fentanyl, 201.9 grams of cocaine, 17 pounds of marijuana, 4 guns and nearly $3,000 cash were seized. “The success of this operation could not have been achieved without the cooperation between the listed units as well as patrol officers from 2 & 5 precincts. Officers selflessly worked together to interrupt a major narcotics operation in the Linden area,” said Sgt. Joseph Ritch

The Threat Group Intelligence Unit received a narcotics complaint at a location on Mallards Landing, and coordinated several purchases and traffic stops from the target location. On August 18, a search warrant was executed. During the search of the residence, the unit recovered 7 total firearms; which included 5 semi-auto handguns, 1 revolver and 1 assault rifle; $15,389.00 in cash; and almost 7 pounds of marijuana. 5 individuals were also arrested inside the residence on felony charges. Later that month, a NIBINS hit returned on one of the firearms, which assisted in a separate investigation by Assault Squad detectives.

On May 28, the In/Tac Unit executed a search warrant at a location on Chelford Drive, as a result of a HIDTA Task Force investigation. Upon entry, a female opened fire and struck In/Tac Detective Russ Weiner 5 times. Two of the rounds were stopped by his vest, saving his life. Detective Weiner was in life-threatening condition until trauma doctors and surgeons were able to fully assess his wounds. The suspect was charged federally. The investigation and the search of the residence led to the seizure of 3,629 grams of Methamphetamine with a street value of $362,900, 5 grams of Cocaine, 1,000 grams of Marijuana valued at $4,000 and prescription pills valued at $3,000. The search also resulted in nine weapons being seized; one revolver, five semi-auto handguns and three assault style rifles. Two of the weapons were reported stolen. A total of $41,919.91 was seized out of the investigation.

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In/Tac officers adjusted to new regulations regarding search warrants from Columbus City Council, including training and revising their Standard Operating Procedures. In/Tac also successfully transitioned to wearing Body Worn Cameras (BWC) for tactical operations.

The Human Trafficking Task Force (HTTF) participated in the large scale operation called Operation Autumn Hope, which ran from October 19 to 23, and involved nearly sixty law enforcement agencies, non-government organizations, nonprofit organizations, and victim advocacy programs. This was the largest collaboration of agencies in the history of Ohio working toward the goals of preventing and combatting human trafficking. A total of 179 arrests were made and 45 missing children were recovered across the state. The CPD task force was responsible for a total of 30 arrests. In addition to the members of our task force, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations, CPD patrol officers, Salvation Army, FCSO Hope Task Force, Southeast Healthcare, and Sanctuary Collective all collaborated on this operation.

On September 2, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien Columbus Division of Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced a Columbus man was indicted on 19 felony counts, including involuntary manslaughter and trafficking in persons. 36-year-old Paul Chiles, aka “Tommy Guns,” faces charges of trafficking in persons, compelling prostitution, promoting prostitution, possession of cocaine, possession of a fentanyl-related compound, involuntary manslaughter, corrupting another with drugs, trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, aggravated trafficking in drugs, gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. The charges stem from an investigation by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which consists of consists of members from the Columbus Division of Police, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Powell Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Salvation Army, Franklin County Prosecutor’s Ron O’Brien’s Office, and Delaware County Prosecutor’s Melissa Schiffel’s Office.

Special Victims Bureau Missing Persons Unit detectives provided the US Marshal’s Service with approximately 100 active missing person reports in preparation for Operation Autumn Hope. Missing Persons Unit detectives also provided information and logistical support during the operation which aimed to focus on human trafficking and the location and recovery of missing and exploited children. Of the 22 missing persons that were recovered from central Ohio, 20 were missing from Columbus’ jurisdiction.

The Sexual Assault A and C Units work at the Center for Family Safety and Healing (CFSH). The detectives in these units investigate the alleged sexual abuse committed against victims age 15 and younger, as well as victims age 21 or under who are developmentally delayed. The detectives coordinate their investigative efforts by working with partners including Franklin County Children Services (FCCS) caseworkers and clinical and medical staff from Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The total number of cases investigated by the Sexual Assault A and C Units in 2020 was 966. The Sexual Assault B, D, and E Units investigate allegations of sexual offenses committed against victims 16 years of age and older, including kidnaping, sexual battery, gross sexual imposition, voyeurism, public indecency, serial sex crimes and AMBER Alerts. The total number of cases investigated by Sexual Assault B, D and E Units in 2020 was 1,180.

Of the 154 felonious assault cases investigated by the Domestic Violence Unit in 2020, 44 (29%) of them were strangulation related. In addition, detectives processed 49 abduction/kidnapping cases, 64 aggravated burglary cases, 53 stalking cases and 14 felony violation of protection order cases. The number of domestic violence enhancement cases processed in 2020 was significantly less than in 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to emergency jail pandemic procedures, detectives were not able to go to the jail to conduct enhancement interviews.

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Patrol Operations SubdivisionPatrol Operations Subdivision The officers of 9 Precinct have worked alongside Zone 2 City Attorney Tiara Ross tirelessly to procure nuisance abatements and to reduce crime throughout the precinct, especially within and around the Colonial Village apartments. Their efforts have assisted in lowering both the crime rate in the area and the dispatched run volume in Colonial Village.

On 13 Precinct, officers conducted a long-term investigation into the Howling Wolves Motorcycle Club on Parsons Avenue. Several shootings had been linked to this business, including a homicide incident on August 8, involving the death of 64-year-old female who was shot by a bullet that penetrated her home. The investigation led to the arrest of the club leader and a shutdown of the club via nuisance abatement.

In order to address increasing violent crime committed by juveniles and young adults on Zones 4 and 5, the “Re-route” program was developed. “Re-route” is an innovative approach

to interacting with the individuals perpetrating the majority of the gun violence and violent crime. This collaboration with the CARE Coalition and the City of Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks provided outreach and services to numerous high risk individuals and their families.

Patrol - PRIDE of CPD On February 4, 2020 officers responded to a report of a burglary in process in the 1400 block of Kelton Ave. A child stated that her dad was being assaulted by the suspects and realized it was likely a home invasion robbery in progress. Officers Kevin Halbur and Garrett Kennedy arrived on scene and were immediately met at the front door by the victims who said the suspects ran out the back of their house. Officers saw the suspects jump the backyard fence and gave chase on foot. Other patrol officers responded and were able to cut off the suspects’ escape which helped Officers Halbur and Kennedy arrest the suspects, who were charged with 2 counts each of aggravated robbery.

On April 6, 2020, Officer Aaron Napoli was dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of Chittenden Ave. The victim was shot in the wrist and leg. The leg injury required immediate care/ treatment. Officer Napoli administered a tourniquet to slow/ stop the profuse bleeding, held the victim’s hand and reassured him he would be okay. The victim was hospitalized in serious condition but survived his injuries thanks to Officer Napoli’s quick life-saving actions.

On November 14, 2020 at 12:17am, a neighbor saw a black SUV pull up to a home near Corr Rd. and Lockbourne Rd. A suspect exited the SUV with a rifle. 2 suspects broke into the victim’s home demanding drugs. The victim, who has cancer, believes the suspects were looking for his medication. The victim’s dog began to bark, the suspects couldn’t find what they were looking for so they fled in the SUV driven by a female suspect. In the meantime, the neighbor had called police. A plain clothes officer in the area followed the suspects SUV until he could get patrol officers to assist. The 3 suspects were arrested and charged with aggravated robbery. The black AR-15 rifle was in plain sight in the back seat of the suspect vehicle.

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Community Services SubdivisionCommunity Services Subdivision Community Response Bureau Community Liaison Unit With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, public meetings, community events and presentations that the Community Liaison Unit would normally participate in were significantly curtailed. However, the Liaison officers developed a proficiency with Zoom and Webex which is now an integral part of CLO operations and engagement with the community. The CLOs also collaborated with the Starfish Assignment on many of their programs, including Books and Badges, Cops and Barbers, and the coat drive. The CLOs resolved 1,792 “311” citizen requests for service, attended 242 block watch/civic group meetings, presented multiple Active Shooter, CRASE/CRASE II presentations throughout the city, and gave career day and Stranger Danger presentations at elementary schools.

On August 26, Community Liaison Officer Kelly Shay took part in a dog rescue. “It took hours and multiple agencies but we finally freed these 2 beautiful fur babies that had been sitting in this RV for hours on this hot, sunny day,” said Officer Kelly Shay. It started with Code Enforcement, who called Officer Shay, because they saw the dog in the window of an RV in the parking lot of Great Western Shopping Center on the City’s West side. Officers Shay and Terry Kalous checked on them and called Columbus Humane Society. They came and determined that the dogs were not in distress...yet. Officer Kalous and Shay went back a few hours later, and there was no way to tell if their person had been there overnight, but found out from the security guard on duty that no one had been in to check on the dogs since around 7:30am. When it was 3:00pm and 90 degrees they decided it was time to get the dogs out of there. The pups were taken to the Columbus Humane Society.

In an email from a citizen named Maurice, Officer Robin Medley was commended for assisting a distraught man who was experiencing a mental health crisis. Southside Community Liaison Officer Medley was “talking to a distraught gentleman

who was attempting to commit suicide by sitting in the center of the intersection of Parsons Avenue and E Stewart Avenue. The officer sat with this gentleman until a couple other patrol officers arrived. The man could be heard screaming to the liaison officer that he was ‘tired of talking. Didn’t want to talk, he just wanted to die.’”

Police and Community Together (PACT) Unit In 2020, PACT added three permanent assignments: an abatement detective, liquor detective, and a victim services officer. The unit conducted multiple operations targeting both supply and demand in 2020. The unit participated in Operation Autumn Hope in the fall of 2020. The victim services officer collaborated with various organizations and judicial staff to provide victim services to the victim of sex work in the City of Columbus.

In October, officers working on the PACT (Police And Community Together) team made arrests connected with prostitution as part of Operation Autumn Hope, the statewide effort recognized by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to target prostitution and human trafficking.

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Youth Services Unit The Youth Services Unit is still in its infancy and the unit Sergeant continues to build programming and connect with community partners to develop a robust list of programming the Division can offer to youth in Columbus. In 2020, the Youth Services Unit participated in several community events and meetings to promote the mission of the unit. The Unit established partnerships with Center of Science and Industry (COSI) to develop mobile exhibits that have an emphasis on the coordination of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with law enforcement, Columbus Recreation and Parks Department to assist with their current programming and build the relationships necessary to utilize the CRPD facilities to deliver future courses and Huntington National Bank’s Financial Literacy and Education team to develop programming that can be delivered to youth.

Recruiting Unit In 2020, the Recruiting Unit remained focused on increasing the diversity within the Division through the “Strategic Plan for Diversity in Police Recruiting.” This plan included many of the recommendations from the Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commission Report and the “Report on the Police Division Operational Review” from the Matrix Consulting Group. The unit is also focused on youth mentoring and maintaining the pipeline of underrepresented youth from Columbus City Schools into a career with the Columbus Division of Police. The Recruiting Unit attended various events throughout 2020, including 11 College, University, and High School Career Fairs (in-person and virtual), four Diversity Recruiting Council Briefings (Online via Zoom) and multiple events Recommended by members of the DRC, such as Café con el Sheriff, CRIS and US Together, North Linden Commission Meeting. The Recruiting Unit also created a new recruitment commercial

with Film Forge for the 2020-2021 Columbus Police Officer hiring campaign, and held its Annual Police Officer Job Seminar (Virtually) with three Q&A live Zoom “Q&A” sessions. Members of the unit also engaged in mentorship activities such as the “Bigs in Blue” Mentorship Program through Big Brothers Big Sisters organization and the Teen And Police Service (T.A.P.S) Academy via virtual Sessions.

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Way to Go Officer James! In October, Officer Wil James, a member of the Recruiting Unit, was honored as one of Columbus CEO’s Future 50 class of 2021. He is very deserving of this award. “As a recruiting officer, I can use my life experiences and training to encourage young people to consider a career that changed my life forever,” said Officer James.

Public Safety Corps The Public Safety Corps is a youth mentorship program designed to introduce young adults ages 14-20 to a career in Law Enforcement. The Columbus Division of Police program is comprised of students from all around Central Ohio. Despite the rising impact of COVID-19 during 2020, program members remained committed to the program and their vested interest in acquiring knowledge about a career in law enforcement. They also jumped at the few opportunities to volunteer their time at several community events, including Mayor Ginther’s State of the City Address, Light Ohio Blue Spring Caravan Event, Light Ohio Blue – Operation Santa’s Sleigh, and Helpers and Heroes (Shop with a Cop).

Property Crimes Bureau The Property Crimes Bureau includes two sections, the Investigative Section and the Investigative Support Section. The Investigative Section is comprised of one lieutenant, five sergeants, and 35 generalist detectives. These detectives investigate all felony property-related crimes except for Aggravated Burglary. The Investigative Support Section consists of Economic Crimes, Covert Support Unit, and Zone Investigators. Economic Crimes detectives investigate economic-related crimes over $25,000, the Covert Support Unit investigates thefts from autos and supports all investigative bureaus, and Zone Investigators investigate misdemeanors and hate crimes.

In response to the ongoing violent crime trend seen in 2020, the Property Crimes Bureau shifted attention to a crime pattern involving youth ages 14- 22 committing a series of purse snatchings and stolen cars. CPD Property Crimes personnel are taking part in a multi-jurisdictional effort involving several central Ohio law enforcement agencies called “Operation: Game Over.” The stolen cars have been linked to robberies, aggravated assaults, attempt murder, guns, retail thefts, and many more crimes. The crime involving stolen cars is the common factor. These series of crimes have overlapped multiple bureaus and jurisdictions. This project has had a multifaceted approach that includes ensuring multi-jurisdictional and multi-bureau communication, working with prosecutors and the courts on ensuring the identified group of suspects are addressed appropriately, seeking public support and engagement through multiple media engagements, and using historical data to ensure all applicable charges are filed on the identified group of offenders.

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Training Bureau 2020 was a year of unique challenges in the Training Bureau, as the recruit classes adapted to new COVID-19 protocols and most of Advanced Training was suspended due to the pandemic. Bureau personnel were forced to constantly modify schedules, and also come up with new ways to deliver mandatory training throughout the Division.

In 2020, the 132nd and the 133rd Recruit Classes completed field training. The 132nd Recruit Class was evaluated from January 5 to April 18, and began with thirty-four probationary officers. One probationary officer resigned in lieu of termination. The 133rd Recruit Class was evaluated from July 5 to October 18, and began with forty- three probationary officers. All forty-three probationary officers completed field training and probation. This calculates to a total 98.7%

success rate in 2020. The Field Training Unit conducted two new 40-hour Field Training Officer classes, and a total of 35 officers became FTOs in 2020.

The Ordnance Unit began the process of recalling the Division’s surplus military rifles and transitioning officers to personally-owned rifles. The change has taken many hours of planning and research but will ultimately allow officers to have access to modern rifles systems while allowing the Division to avoid using the outdated surplus military rifles.

The Evening Midwatch Ordnance Unit was instrumental during the period of civil unrest, putting in over 466 total hours and working on days off to staff the Riot Trucks and provide vital equipment to the Field Forces that were deployed.

COVID-19 had a significant impact on the Training Bureau, as most in-person training outside of the recruit program had to be canceled. Canceled trainings have included in-service, defensive tactics, elective trainings, and some firearms. However, the Training Bureau was still able to provide some outside training such as Civilian Self Defense, and also provided plain clothes training, civil disorder training, as well as developing and delivering Arrest Control Team (ACT) training for Police Emergency Response Team (PERT) and conducting the Division-wide Taser inspection.

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Support Services SubdivisionSupport Services Subdivision

Forensic Services Bureau In February, the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) conducted an on-site surveillance assessment of the Crime Laboratory. During the on-site assessment, the quality system, Drug Identification Section, and DNA Section were reviewed. In order to document compliance with the requirements, the team reviewed reports, case records, proficiency records, court testimony evaluations, training programs and records, competency tests, authorizations, educational requirements, facilities, security, records and procedures for equipment, metrological traceability, calibration services, evidence handling, chain-of-custody records, internal audits, corrective actions, protection of data, and policies on impartiality and confidentiality. There were no non- conformances found during the assessment.

In September, the ATF conducted an audit for compliance with the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) Minimum Requirement Standards. This site was referred to as “phenomenal” and was recognized as being one of the busiest NIBIN sites in the country, operating at 260% of the national average for NIBIN entries and 119% for NIBIN associations.

In 2020, the Crime Laboratory was awarded two grants that will be used to fund future lab improvement. The DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Act award of $309,036 will allow the Crime Laboratory to purchase equipment, supplies, and fund training opportunities for the DNA Section. The Coverdell National Forensic Science Improvement Act award of $43,584.82 will be used to fund non-DNA training, equipment, and supplies. $25,458.62 of this award is specified for use in the opioid abuse crisis.

In honor of National Forensic Science Week, the Starfish Assignment assisted in hosting a luncheon honoring the personnel at the Forensics Services Center sponsored by the CME Federal Credit Union. The employees were also joined by Deputy Chiefs Greg Bodker and Tim Becker. Members of Starfish and CME got to tour the facility and learn about the contributions made to law enforcement through analysis of DNA, fingerprints, handwriting, drugs, firearms, and documents. The importance of these scientific efforts to the resolution of crimes and to bringing justice to victims cannot be overstated. Laboratory manager Angela Farrington said they processed over 3,500 weapons last year, and they’re on pace to do far more this year. Thank you to our forensic scientists for all you do, your efforts are appreciated!

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Records Management Bureau Identification Unit In 2020 the ID Unit Completed:

6,907 Prints, 6,835 Mugshots, 227 Webchecks, 947 Court Fingerprints, 773 Customer Prints and 803 Juvenile Prints

Public Records Unit In 2020, there were 5220 public records requests assigned which was a 28.7 % increase from 2019. To account for the increase in workload the unit saw a 259% increase in overtime hour work in comparison to 2019.

In 2020 the Public Records Unit completed:

5220 Public Records Requests 6733 Internal Body Warn Cameral Requests 3974 Internal Cruiser Video Requests 4354 Internal Audio Requests 2752 FCCS Requests

Records Unit In 2020 the Records Unit Completed:

2,491 Entry and Validation of Domestic Violence Warrants, 2,328 Entry and Validation of Stolen Vehicles, 225 Supervised Release Entries, 12,250 email requests for Records.

Telephone Report Unit In 2020 the Telephone Report Unit Completed:

15,981 Coplogic/Entering 10,589 16,717 Voicemail/Entering 14,402 1,161 Criminal History files updated The Unit was able to receive new headphones, and new standup desktops through seizure funds.

TRU personnel worked a total of 679.8 hours of overtime and worked remote starting in March 2020.

Support Operations Bureau The body worn camera (BWC) program has been expanded to include issuance and use of BWC to SWAT, Narcotics Bureau Investigative/Tactical Units, and task force officers (TFOs). The Support Operations Bureau also developed a plan to upgrade the current BWC technology. The plan has been modified by the Public Safety Director’s Office, Department of Technology, and Procurement to embrace new BWC technology that allows certain actions to automate the initiation of BWC recording. The timeline on this project has been extended to allow for changes required by Andre’s Law.

Information Systems Manager Chris Wamsley was hired in January 2020 to lead the Technical Services Section. The Technical Services Section was instrumental in the Division’s multi-faceted response to the pandemic. In March 2020, Division employees that performed a task that could be completed remotely, were sent home and the Technical Services Section was responsible for the issuance of computer hardware to those employees categorized as “essential remote.” The Technical Services Section facilitated the work from home protocol by distributing laptops, establishing secure remote log-in accounts, and providing support for these personnel. This support allowed nearly 100 Division employees to continue their work from home while reducing the exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace.

Right before Christmas some members of the Identification Unit were able to donate to a pet food drive that ID Supervisor Matthew Kallay volunteered for. The unit collected 211 pounds of dog food, 60 pounds of cat food and treats, 30 pounds of dog biscuits and 40 pounds of kitty litter.

Therapy Dog Unit Congratulations to the CPD Therapy Dog Unit on passing their final observation for Alliance of Therapy Dogs certification in July. The Division is extremely proud of their hard work and commitment. Since the inception of the unit, each handler has successfully graduated from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Therapy K9 School, achieved Canine Good Citizen certification, and finished certification with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic prevented many school visits and group meetings, the Therapy Dog Unit was still able to maintain many citizen contacts using social distancing. They also responded on many calls, including meeting a suicidal teen at Nationwide Children’s hospital who eventually disclosed she was being sexually assaulted, and traumatic incidents such as homicides, drownings and suicides. The Therapy Dog Unit assisted in the death notification to a neighboring agency after the

unexpected passing of one of their officers, conducted wellness visits to locations such as the State of Ohio EOC and the National Guard, and participated in many community events.

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Wellness Bureau

Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) The Mobile Crisis Response Unit (MCR) was made permanent after a successful pilot program in 2019 and consists of five Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trained officers paired with NetCare Access social worker co- responders. In 2020, MCR statistics show that only four transports out of the 1,253 (or .003%) resulted in arrest.

The goal of MCR continues to be obtaining proper treatment for people in a mental health crisis, rather than placing them in jail where needed services are limited. The mental health encounters resulted in very few reported uses of force by MCR team members.

In the evening of March 13, 2020, patrol officers and the Helicopter Unit responded to a North Linden home for a suicide attempt. The caller stated her husband was trying to hurt himself and suffers from mental illness. Officers arrived, conducted a brief search, and located the male on the top of the roof of his home holding a large branch. The male wouldn’t listen to officers. Officer Steven Baird of the Mobile Crisis Response Unit arrived and made contact with the male. Officer Baird had a Netcare Access clinician riding with him. Together they both were both able to talk the male down from the roof. The male was hospitalized and given access to the help he needed.

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RREACT The Rapid Response Emergency Addiction Crisis Team (RREACT) is a coordinated effort between firefighters, police officers and social workers to help combat the opioid epidemic in Franklin County. CPD has three dedicated officers on this task force who report to the Trauma Recovery Addiction Crisis Team (TRACT) Lieutenant. Recently the team has also been able to offer assistance to women who are victims of human trafficking. In 2020, The RREACT

conducted 5,192 outreach attempts on 3,273 overdose survivors, resulting in 649 direct patient contacts of 519 unduplicated patients. Of the 519 patients, REACT linked and transported 148 directly to treatment services and provided treatment service referrals to 29 additional patients.

RREACT also conducted community outreach events, conducting Naloxone training and distributions as well as participating in a Community Safety Day as part of the DEA National Drug Take-Back effort. In an effort to provide continuous recovery support to program participants, RREACT helped form RREACT Alumni, a self- organized group of individuals in recovery who received or continue to receive RREACT services. The mission of RREACT Alumni is to create opportunities for its members to stay connected, support one another and give back to others in the community. In 2020, RREACT Alumni hosted 12 RREACT Alumni events, including in- person social gatherings and virtual meetings.

Headquarters Operations Section During the pandemic, the Headquarters Operation Section set up a call center staffed with restricted duty officers to take reports over the phone instead of dispatching an officer to respond in person. This call center has proven very effective. Restricted duty officers have received 29,599 calls by the community since its inception. Out of the nearly 30,000 citizen contacts, 10,569 reports were generated between June 1 and December 31. The call center was also responsible for updates to the Division of Police website, allowing additional forms to be obtained and submitted electronically. The result of this work provided uniformed officers with greater proactive patrol time.

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Peer Assistance Team The Peer Assistance Team (PAT) is coordinated through Commander Rob Sagle and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). All PAT members have been trained in the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) model, a partnership which extends confidentially for officers using the program. 2020 was an extremely busy year with the most peer-to-peer interactions in the program’s history (1,752). There are over 100 PAT members covering all three shifts and work locations throughout the Division and several who are veterans of our armed services.

Police Chaplains The Police Chaplains Program consists of eight volunteer chaplains. These police chaplains were very helpful to our agency in 2020 as they provided care, counseling and food service to our officers and families during the summer protests. As a result of these protests, the Police Chaplains started up a “Family Night” for family members of police officers to provide support and confidential group counseling at their places of worship. These family nights were very therapeutic and helpful for families who were experiencing stress and anxiety being related to law enforcement officers.

Urban Lacrosse Academy During the summer, Wellness Bureau Commander Dave Hughes assisted with the Urban Lacrosse Academy at Barack Recreation Center. Throughout the clinics, Patrol officers and players from Hilliard and Upper Arlington high schools came to help, along with Therapy Dogs, the CPD recruiting unit, Youth Services officers, Cadets, and a ladder truck from CFD. These clinics were for 8 to 14 year olds during the summer season. The goal for the officers who helped coach was to build relationships between law enforcement and youth. “We’re the first group that I’m aware of that works with first responders. We’re very fortunate that our Columbus police department has seven or eight officers who all have lacrosse playing experience,” said Coach Bear Davis, Urban Lacrosse Academy Executive Director. Each officer spent hours teaching the players how to throw, lock the ball in the net, and at the same time, making connections.

Commander’s Café During the period of civil unrest in May and June, the Support Operations Bureau and the Wellness Bureau combined resources to meet the logistical needs of Division personnel. This included addressing the urgent need to feed and hydrate all Division personnel assigned to respond to the civil unrest in the downtown area. A temporary cafeteria was established on the second floor of Central Police Headquarters. This location was affectionately given the name, “Commanders’ Café.” During this time, over 10,000 meals were served at the location and approximately 5,000 pounds of ice was used to cool drinks. Commander Dave Hughes even rented a slushie machine, which was very popular! This effort was made possible by donations and the work of volunteers, all coordinated by the personnel in Support Operations and Wellness. The “Commanders’ Café” was a 24-hour-a-day operation for nearly three weeks.

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The Starfish Assignment

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Donation of Bicycles in Wedgewood Columbus Division of Police Officer Sean Taylor contacted the Starfish Assignment about kids in the Wedgewood Apartment complex, concerned that they were riding unsafe bicycles and that they were sharing just a few among themselves. Starfish jumped in to help and thanks to their supporters, were able to obtain 75 usable bikes for the kids. On September 19, Starfish volunteers and officers gathered together to pass out the bikes, soccer equipment, scooters, roller skates, and helmets from the Department of Neighborhoods, and other assorted items that were donated for these children. The FOP Capital City Lodge #9 partnered with Starfish to serve as a drop-off and staging area for bicycles and sponsored snacks for the kids.

Helping a Dad in Need Officer Robin Medley, 11 precinct Community Liaison Officer, met a tow truck driver who was at a very low point in his life. Officer Medley worked with the Starfish Assignment to help get him back into a good place. The man shared

the biggest issue he was facing was lack of reliable transportation to get him to work, which caused limited income, while his wife stays home to care for their two children who have special needs. Officer Medley and Starfish were able to secure the man a 2003 Chevrolet Blazer, which will allow him to get to his job and work additional shifts in order to provide for his family, and has plenty of room for his children. Creekside Auto Sales provided a great price on the vehicle, and following the purchase Officer Medley and the man headed to the Morse Road Walmart to meet up with Nic, the Assistant Manager of the Auto Care Center, who has been a huge Starfish supporter for quite some time and helped detail it inside and out. Walmart then filled the trunk with

groceries for his family. Thanks to the generosity of donors, Starfish raised a total of $4,220, which covered the purchase of the vehicle and a week in a hotel room for the family. The remaining money will be put towards trying to get the family into an apartment.

Cops And Barbers Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, the Starfish Assignment was able to host a Cops and Barbers event on September 20, 2020. It looked a little different, but was still brought joy to the children and officers who participated. Thanks to the determination of Officer Pete Casuccio and his friend Rob, the partnership of CPD and Starfish, and the sponsorship of AEP Ohio, the event was a success. This year, the Starfish Assignment president packed the backpacks herself at her house with a mask on in order to minimize the possibility of COVID-19 exposure. Snacks donated for the kids by FOP Capital City Lodge #9 were individually packaged into brown sandwich bags by Officer Casuccio’s wife. In a challenging year, a little bit of light was brought to the kids who participated. Thanks to all that worked to make this event a continuing success.

Books and Badges Starfish returned to in-school Books & Badges readings on September 29 with a huge, 14-classroom reading at St. Mary Magdalene School in the Hilltop. The Therapy Dog Unit came to see the 6-8 graders and many officers come to read to the K-5 graders.

It was fun for the students to hear from officers who had once roamed those same halls. Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Dent got to tell her children that she had taught Officer Livingston. Deputy Chief Becker was in Mr. Julius Palazzo’s first class in 1976! The kids in all the St. Mary Magdalene classes were wonderful. They were so enthusiastic about being read to and having visitors.

South Side – Food for the homeless Starfish Assignment volunteer Biancamya Griffin, who lives on 11 Precinct and recently opened GraciesPlace, worked with Columbus Division of Police Officers Amanda Hoover and Emily DeYarman to get her food leftovers to homeless people on 13 Precinct. There is a large population of people experiencing homelessness on the South Side, and in addition to the delicious food, Biancamya wrote notes of encouragement on the boxes. Biancamya said she does what she can for people because it was done for her when she needed it.

Giving Thanks and Giving Back During Thanksgiving week, the Starfish Assignment partnered with CPD to drop off turkeys in in South Linden, during the very first “Cops and Gobblers,” event. This was possible thanks to a very generous donation from KEMBA Financial Credit Union and the support of Walmart Columbus - Morse Rd and

Columbus Recreation and Parks Department. In early September, Officers Joshua Bell and Mike Daymut already had Thanksgiving on their minds. They wanted to make sure residents of the Rosewind apartment complex had a good holiday by providing Thanksgiving dinner for everyone who lived there. Cadets passed out flyers to let the residents know that volunteers would be bringing Thanksgiving dinners right to their door. Arrangements were made with local centers to hold onto the dinners if no one was home. All 150 families received a full Thanksgiving meal for the holiday. Deputy Chief Tim Becker said in his 32 years this is the largest Thanksgiving effort he has seen. Officers said they would like to see “Cops and Gobblers” become a tradition and hope to serve more communities next year.

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Thanksgiving Blessing Bags On November 22, officers from CPD and Franklin Township Police Department got to spread some sunshine, thanks to Blessing Bags from the group Sahara-Columbus. Their founder contacted the Starfish Assignment and asked if they could donate Thanksgiving bags for police officers to give out to people in need. Thanks to CME Federal Credit Union, the Wartel Family Foundation, and individual Starfish donors, $30 Kroger gift cards were included with each of those bags. Sahara-Columbus was established in March, to help those affected by COVID-19, and the group has provided thousands of Blessing Bags to people in need. “Sahara” means “help” in Hindi, the national language of India. The bags contained dry goods for Thanksgiving dinners (and the $30 gift card so that people could make additional purchases.) Fifty bags were given to the West Side - the Hilltop, Franklinton, the Southwest Side, and Franklin Township. Each of the bags made by Sahara-Columbus is decorated by children with happy words or pictures, and some of the children who worked so hard on those bags got to meet the officers who would hand them out.

Shop with a Cop On December 11, CPD partnered with the Starfish Assignment, Walmart, and CME Federal Credit Union to host Shop with a Cop. Thanks to the students who participated, and the officers who made this year’s Shop with a Cop such a success! The students got to meet officers from various assignments in the Division, and the Therapy Dog Unit!

Toys for the Holidays A representative from CME Federal Credit Union connected the Starfish Assignment to Firefighters 4 Kids, an organization that distributes toys to children in need during the holidays. Due to the pandemic, they realized that they’d need to curtail

their operations this year, but wanted to make sure they still got the toys that were in their warehouses out to kids. Mario Dovell from Columbus Recreation and Parks Department and Kathy Jackson, who volunteers with a number of charities were able to come to the warehouse and put in “orders” for toys. Mario was able to obtain toys for several community centers that he supervises, and Kathy was able to help 25 different local organizations that she works with. Starfish was able to obtain toys for all 20 Columbus Division of Police precincts. Firefighters 4 Kids even allowed Starfish to order larger amounts of toys for precincts with greater need. In December, volunteer officers began distributing those toys across the city to kids and families in need, all thanks to Firefighters 4 Kids.

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Coats for Kids Community Liaison and Recruiting Unit Officers as well as the Cadets distributed 600 coats to children in need throughout Columbus. Thanks to an amazing partnership with the Starfish Assignment, AEP Ohio, Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, Columbus City Schools, and Macy’s, the Third Annual Coat Drive was a success, and put coats directly into the hands of more than 600 kids who needed them, all across the city.

Holiday Blessing Bags On December 20, the Starfish Assignment, CPD, and Franklin Township once again handed out gifts of food and bags of treats across the city, each one decorated

with an uplifting note or sweet picture from a young artist. We loved working with Sahara-Columbus at Thanksgiving and were thrilled they wanted to partner with us again in December. For the holidays, they donated the following for officers to distribute: 100 bags with Christmas dinner, 30 blessing bags for individuals experiencing homelessness, 300 treat bags for kids, and 50 gift-wrapped gingerbread houses. Officers gathered at the Columbus Police Academy to pick up their goodies and take them back to their precincts. In the Wedgewood area of Columbus, Deputy Chief Woods, Officer Sean Taylor, and Starfish volunteer, Jack Carlin, saw a house with a sign that read “Special Delivery: To Santa.” They decided to stop and play “Santa” and make a delivery. The mom of the family relayed she had a really hard year, suffering through

the deaths of several family members, and would not be able to have a Christmas, so the food and gift card would really come in handy. When the story was shared with the Starfish Assignment, additional Starfish funds to give them a better holiday (in the form of a $250 store gift card and a Christmas card, signed by the officers) were returned to her home. She was completely overcome by this additional gift and told her kids that she’d be able to buy them specific items they were hoping for thanks to the police officers.

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Birthday CelebrationsBirthday Celebrations

Happy Birthday Ty’Lynn Ty’Lynn’s mom recently contacted us asking us to surprise her son for his birthday. He loves police so much he wants to be a police officer! So on Ty’Lynn’s 7th birthday, October 2, we were honored to brighten his special day. The police caravan started with a visit from the Therapy Dog Unit, then the Mounted Unit followed by a visit from Community Liaison Officer James Tunstall, Zone 2 Commander Elrico Alli, and Sgt. Jennifer Alicea.

From an October 5 event, a community member shared with us, “My daughter turned 6 today and due to the coronavirus pandemic, we were unable to have a traditional birthday party for her this year. Instead I decided to organize a surprise “parade” for her with family and friends. I just wanted to thank the officer in car 185 who saw our family and friends lining up to surprise her and decided to join in the parade!! My daughter wants to

be a police officer when she grows up, and he made her day. She was so excited that there was a police officer in her birthday parade!!”

Happy Birthday KenKen Biancamya Griffin and her family became fast friends with Officers Anthony Johnson and Curtis Hale, along with most of the officers of 11 and 12 Precincts, following a tragic incident when son KenKen was held down in a bathtub of hot water by her then- boyfriend. He suffered third-degree burns on his tiny body, but he continues to recover. In 2020, Bianca held a second annual party in October to celebrate KenKen’s life, through which she raises awareness about child abuse and says thank you to everyone who supports them. Bianca invited many officers and expressed how she feels about them, “I just wanna say Columbus Police definitely has my back and

support... we gain so much support and love from not just the city of Columbus.... but nationwide.” Not only did those officers come to the block party, and so did Chief Quinlan. Our partners at the Starfish Assignment said it best, “Bianca, thanks for your joyful, beautiful, optimistic heart, which has turned that dark time in your family’s history into something beautiful for so many of us. We really appreciate you.”

Happy Birthday Apollo Apollo loves the police and when he grows up he’d like to be an officer.

For his 11th birthday, he was surprised with a Columbus Police birthday caravan!

Community Liaison Officer Frank Golden brought Apollo a birthday gift and CPD’s Mounted Unit, Motorcycle Unit, and Sgt. Boxill with the CPD Therapy Dog Unit joined in the celebration this afternoon on the city’s west side.

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13 Precinct Officers Collect Items for Community Officers Amanda Hoover and Heidi Graber rent a storage unit to hold items for families in need on their precinct. CME Federal Credit Union helps fund rental of the unit and the officers use their own money as well as accepting donations to purchase much needed items such as baby care, blankets, books, clothing, and more. The items are then stored in the storage unit and can be retrieved

when they come across a family in need. Officer Graber stated, “Amanda and I are forever collecting stuff that we think people in the community can use. However, we were having issues with storage at our substation, so (Officer) Hoover took it upon herself to get a storage unit on the precinct. Recently Starfish hooked us up with donations and we were able to get shelving. We are hoping to move the rest of the stuff out of the random lockers at our sub and from the Property Room and get it all organized… CME Credit Union hooked us up with money to pay for the storage unit for an ENTIRE YEAR!!”

Neighborhood Unity Walk Officers joined community members in the Safe Streets to Southfield Neighborhood Unity Walk. Community members in the Marion-Franklin/Koebel area neighborhood were grateful to officers from 12 precinct for joining them on this walk in a show of Solidarity, Support and Unity in our Community!

Connection With the Latino Community On February 28, 2020, Latino community members met with Chief Quinlan to get to know each other, identify challenges and look forward to working together in the future. Everyone was glad to learn that the Latino community will have a Diversity Inclusion Liaison,

Officer Samuel James! Officer James, who is also in CPD’s Recruiting Unit, will be able to directly assist those in the Latino community. There were questions about how to learn more about the Division, and Chief Quinlan recommend the Citizen Police Academy which is a free program given twice a year. All the info can be found on this link: www.columbus.gov/police- citizenpoliceacademy. A video and application are available in Spanish.

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Trunk or Treat Events CPD participated in many community events for Halloween, including “Trunk or Treat” at the Reeb Avenue Rec Center on October 31. Officers Graber, Hoover, and Stacy celebrated with some happy neighborhood kids.

Markel Davis’ Bridging the Gap also held a “Trunk or Treat” event. Despite everyone’s best efforts, including CME Federal Credit Union donating candy to Franklin Township Police Department and Starfish supporters like Karen Jones and Andrew Tran giving lots of candy leftover from Beggar’s Night, officers still ran out of candy! The FOP Capital City Lodge #9 had to go buy out nearby stores to keep the event going due to the high attendance of the event! At one point, before the FOP arrived with more candy, K-9 Officer David

Jones ran out and had to tell a group of children that he did not have anymore. An older boy started emptying his own candy into Officer Jones’s bowl so that there would be some for other children. Special thanks to Markel, his family, and their volunteers for all their hard work.

Thanksgiving Meals Provided On November 23, Officer Heidi Graber spearheaded an effort to pass out and deliver 65 turkeys along with gift cards to Kroger to residents in the South End. This was made possible by Connect 2 Protect Block Watch (C2PBW) who contacted Officer Graber wondering if she knew any families who could use some help for Thanksgiving. With help from Principal Reynolds and the staff at Southwood Elementary School, we filled up the 65 spots with deserving families. Thanks to Columbus Division of Police CLOs Stacy, Zacher, and Medley, Code Enforcement Officer Gonzales, and

CRT 2 for delivering to families who couldn’t pick up their goods. Thanks also to the following businesses for their assistance in this effort: Muncie D’Elia Contractors, Hausfrau Haven, Columbus Window Cleaners, Ohio Poultry Assoc., German Village Garten Club, Midtown Realty Group, Vutech, Ruff Realtors and Vitale Poultry.

Hats from the Harts Thank you to the Greg Hart and sons (Hart Family HER Realtors) for their generous donation of 10,000 winter hats. Chief Quinlan, Community Liaison Officers Kalous and Shay as well as hundreds more officers distributed the hats to those in need throughout the city. Another thanks to Lt. Jack Harris, the Aviation Section supervisor, for connecting CPD with the Harts. This is the 4th year for the hat drive.

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COVID-19

The COVID-19 (or coronavirus) pandemic is an ongoing pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 which was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The airborne virus has a wide range of symptoms, from non to life-threatening. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020. Preventative measures were recommended and adopted nationally such as social distancing, mask wearing, hand washing and self- isolation or quarantine of symptomatic or exposed individuals. The pandemic has caused significant social and economic disruption and responses have varied across the globe.

In early March, The Division of Police provided information to personnel on COVID-19, including guidelines from the CDC, information on the spread and symptoms of the virus, and preventative measures. The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Ohio when the state’s first case was reported on March 9, 2020. With three known cases, Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency on March 9, as advised by the Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton. That same day he asked colleges and universities to go to online classes. Governor DeWine and Dr. Action also prohibited public spectators from attending the Arnold Classic.

Within the Division of Police, Incident Action Plans were created to outline the incident objectives, and Pandemic Policy Orders (PPOs) began to be issued to give Division employees additional guidance on temporary policy changes mandated by the Division’s response to the pandemic. Industrial Hygienist Ms. Iris Velasco provided a safety plan which included preventative measures for all personnel, as well as the medical plan instructing Division employees on the protocol when exposed to someone thought to have COVID-19.

On March 12, Governor DeWine announced that all schools from K-12 would close for a 3-week break, starting March 16 and Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Amy Acton instituted a ban on gatherings of more than 100 people, with some exemptions. Special Duty work was prohibited at any gathering violating the Governor’s order. The Division also announced to employees that it was updating emergency staffing plans, suspending in- service training and phase 2 firearms, ordering PPE (personal protective equipment) gear and supplies and requesting emergency funding for additional supplies. Division of Police representatives were receiving information daily from the State of Ohio Emergency Operations Center. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office requested that that when possible, Division personnel issue a summons in situations involving non-violent misdemeanors, due to the pandemic.

On March 14, Mayor Andrew Ginther announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Columbus. Chief Quinlan and members of Executive Staff met daily to discuss current information and strategies to keep officers safe. Chief Quinlan directed all personnel with the exception of classified “Covert” personnel to have a full uniform available at work at all times.

Adjustments were made to policies as needed to limit potential exposures of officers while performing their duties. This included dispatchers advising callers to meet responding officers outside when possible and maintain a 6 foot radius for social distance, allowing many more people to file reports over the phone and establishing a call banks for telephone reporting, and opening a cruiser sanitation area to clean cars when necessary. Citizen ride-alongs were also canceled until further notice.

Personnel were directed to report to a supervisor and a health care provider if experiencing symptoms including a Fever of 100.4 or greater, cough,

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shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, and tiredness or fatigue.

Instructions on decontamination following an exposure were disseminated to Division personnel, as well as guidance on quarantining and self- monitoring.

In mid-March, non-essential businesses such as bars, restaurants and salons were either ordered to close or reduce their services. Mayor Ginther also declared a state of emergency in Columbus, Ohio. The overriding goal was to limit people in the community who become exposed to the virus, while keeping the city’s essential service running while providing a means to limit social distancing and help protect city workers and residents.

On March 19 Governor DeWine activated 300 personnel from the Ohio National Guard, as well as a contingent of Ohio Military Reserve personnel, to help with humanitarian efforts. The first death from COVID-19 in Ohio was reported March 19, 2020.

On March 22, Dr. Acton issued a statewide stay-at- home order to take effect from midnight on March 23 through April 6, requiring the closure of nonessential businesses. Governor DeWine also ordered most childcare facilities to close beginning March 26.

Beginning March 23, Division employees were be divided into three categories: essential, essential remote, and non-essential remote. Employees deemed essential continued to report as normal, while essential remote employees would complete their assigned duties at home and could be rotated between home and the office to ensure continuity of operations. Non-essential employees would remain home and available by phone. Face-to-face meetings where social distancing could not be observed and large gatherings were prohibited. All sworn employees as well as civilians in the Communications and Records Bureaus were deemed essential, and the remaining Division Civilian employees were placed in the other two categories.

Some services such as in person pick up of public records and fingerprinting for background checks were suspended in Central Police Headquarters to reduce the risk of exposure. Municipal Court operations were affected, and in light of the fact that most State of Ohio BMV locations were closed for most functions, officers were directed to stop issuing citations for expired tags, fail to register or display, or for expired licenses.

Officers were used to staff the telephone reporting call bank and had already taken more than 500 reports that did not require a Patrol response by March 23.

On March 29, the Division began an exposure mitigation plan where sworn officers would be scheduled for 32 hours of work per week, and 8 hours of “stand-by” time. Officers would remain home during the 8 hours of stand-by time and would be expected to report to work within 1 hour when called. The plan was put in place to reduce exposure and transmission opportunities between officers and between officers and the public. Phase I included all Patrol officers and was rolled out first, with Phase II involving remaining uniformed personnel and operational units in contact with the public, and Phase III involving all other sworn members of the Division.

Mask wearing was initially encouraged of all Division personnel and eventually required at any work location or while interacting with the public, with a few exceptions such as eating or drinking, or while seated in a cubicle or office while alone. Local companies donated hand sanitizer, soap, and cloth face coverings to the Division to assist with keeping officers safe.

After a positive COVID-19 test in the workplace, sanitizing vehicles, facilities, and furniture was required to eliminate the spread to other persons. During initial stages of the pandemic, the Division of Police contracted a private vendor for these services. The typical cost per incident was approximately $7,500. The response time from the vendor was unpredictable and disrupted the continuity of business operations. In response, a small team of sworn personnel came together that had significant experience in personal protective equipment and sanitization of office space. Typically within an hour of notification, team members were deployed and the sanitizing process was initiated. This team has saved the Division of Police tens of thousands of dollars.

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On April 28, 2020, Division of Police and Fire employees were joined by other Central Ohio law enforcement agencies and community members to say thank you to the front line at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital. This event was planned around the shift change at Riverside so employees from day and night shifts could take in the appreciation.

On July 6, 2020, Columbus City Council passed an ordinance directing residents to wear facial coverings or masks in public spaces. All individuals are required to wear face coverings in indoor areas accessible to the public and within the confines of public or private transportation regulated by the City of Columbus, unless otherwise exempted. Workers in retail, restaurants, personal care, grooming and tattoo businesses as well as childcare facilities, transportation and healthcare setting must wear face coverings when they are or may be within six feet of another person. Retail Businesses must require that all customers wear Face Coverings when they are inside the establishment and may be within six feet of another person, unless the customer states that an exception applies. Exemptions include medical conditions, children under six years of age, someone actively eating or drinking, strenuous exercise, and others.

Throughout the remainder of 2020, the Division continued to perform essential functions and serve the community. Officers continued to be dispatched to runs, take reports and take enforcement action. The Division continued to operate under modified policies to minimize the risk of exposure among employees and to and from the public. Wearing masks and social distancing became second nature.

2020 found us living in unprecedented times, and despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, the Division continued to strive to provide the highest level of service to the citizens in our community.

Civil Unrest On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was arrested by Minneapolis Police for passing a counterfeit bill to a store clerk. Mr. Floyd died while in police custody, after one of the arresting officers knelt on his neck as he lay handcuffed on the ground. That officer was later charged with second degree murder, and three other officers on the scene were charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder.

Protests began in Minneapolis the day after his death, and quickly spread across the nation. Though protests began peacefully, many incidents of civil unrest quickly turned violent. These incidents began to include rioting and looting, as well as large amounts of property destruction and violence against not only police, but other citizens.

Columbus was no exception, as civil unrest began on May 28, 2020 in the downtown area. Protestors started with a peaceful march, but as the evening wore on, and as the crowd began to congregate at the Ohio Statehouse and at the intersection of West Broad Street and North High Street, objects like rocks and water bottles began to be thrown at officers.

Columbus police officers had responded to the area and donned riot gear, and created formations to keep the protestors contained to a safe area and maintain the flow of traffic. There soon began a stand-off, with

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protestors eventually hurling everything from bottles and bricks to a motorized scooter at the officers standing on the line.

As the protests continued into the night, officers attempted to disperse the crowd out of the intersection at Broad and High. Warnings were announced to the crowd that crowd dispersal agents would be used if the participants did not leave the area.

Just before midnight, the crowd began to cause destruction, storming the Ohio Statehouse and smashing windows. Trash cans along North High

Street were used to smash windows of businesses and historic buildings. Police responded with chemical spray and gas munitions directed at the participants to attempt to stop the property destruction and continue to disperse the crowd. Glass windows of many store fronts were damaged, as were bus stops, and even the ticket booth of the historic Ohio Theater. The violence finally ceased around 1:00 A.M. and in the morning, workers at businesses, hotels, and the Statehouse had to clean up the damage and were forced to board up broken windows.

The protests continued the next day, and at times, continued to be violent. On May 29, a suspect launched a commercial grade firework toward a group of protestors and officers near City Hall. During this time of unrest, Columbus Police officers were “all hands on deck.” Beginning on May 29, a Phase III Mobilization went into effect. This is an

emergency Division-wide mobilization authorized by the Chief of Police or a Deputy Chief that requires activation of the Emergency Operations Center, the designation of a Deputy Chief as the police incident commander, and may require cancellation of employee leaves and days off. Some officers were called in immediately, and first days off were cancelled. Officers were directed to report for the mobilization with riot gear and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Any approval of casual leave time was also cancelled.

By May 30, as the crowd grew to about 2,000 people, officers continued to use riot control munitions to attempt to control the crowd. Governor Mike DeWine deployed 300 members of the Ohio National Guard to Columbus and Cleveland, and the City of Columbus instituted a 10 p.m. curfew on Saturday night. COTA was forced to divert all buses out of downtown, and they did not reinstate full downtown transportation until June 9.

Fifty-nine people were arrested on Saturday May 30, and charges ranged from disorderly conduct to breaking and entering. A nearly completed apartment building was set on fire and burned for hours into the early morning of May 31, causing the roof and several floors to collapse. An arrest was later made for the aggravated arson.

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Other fires were set and more damage was done when protestors continued to throw rocks and bricks to break windows at places throughout downtown including a funeral home and the Columbus College of Art and Design.

By the morning of May 31, National Guard members were posted near their vehicles in parts of downtown, and the State Highway Patrol troopers stood guard at the bottom of the west steps of the Statehouse. Later on May 31, a disturbing incident was caught on video where a man with cerebral palsy on his

way to place flowers on his mother’s grave unknowingly drove into an area occupied by protestors and after he tried to retreat, they began to smash his vehicle with bicycles and pulled him from his car.

By May 31, the Division-wide mobilization was extended. All sworn personnel were working 12 hour shifts, and the majority were ordered to report in uniform. Officers from all components of the Division were used to create field forces that staged at the Training Academy, or reported to Headquarters to stage for deployment in the downtown area. Still more officers were used to staff the Emergency Operations Center and Field Prisoner Processing Area to assist with those individuals who were charged for criminal activity. Command

Staff rotated responsibilities of the civil unrest response and continued overseeing their respective normal responsibilities within the Division.

On June 1, the city of Columbus declared racism a public health crisis. Though protests continued in the early days of June, they decreased in crowd size and violence. However, officers were still being pulled from their regular duties to stand by in the event of further destruction or violence.

Following these weeks of protests, the downtown area was covered in broken glass and grafitti and over 100 businesses were engaged in cleaning up the damage, replacing broken windows and damaged merchandise, and attempting to secure their buildings

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or board up windows in the event the violence may erupt again. Over 200 Columbus Police Officers reported injuries they sustained during the protests, many of which were the result of being struck with items thrown by protestors.

On June 6, the week-long city curfew was lifted due to the decrease in violence during the protests and the continued dialogue between the police and protestors. On June 10, The Ohio National Guard departed the city after nearly two weeks of providing assistance. Protests continued throughout the month of June, though they continued to decrease

in frequency and size, and saw far fewer arrests and violent situations. There were still occasional clashes between police and protestors, and violent activity, like on June 11 when an Uber driver was stopped and his vehicle was damaged by protestors, or a June 24 incident when two men shot at the windows of a moving COTA bus in the area of West Broad Street and Front Street. The guns were later determined to be pellet guns, but the damage to the windows was estimated by COTA to be over $5,400.

Throughout the course of the protests, Columbus Division of Police policy was being evaluated and changed. Tear gas for riot control situations was prohibited, and also the use of chemical spray on non-violent protestors in attempt to disperse a crowd. The Division began to create a Police Emergency

Response Team (PERT) and provide training to volunteer officers to allow them to better respond to incidents of civil unrest.

The law firm BakerHostetler was also hired to investigate allegations of police misconduct during the riot response. As of the law firm’s initial report in September, four officers were exonerated of wrongdoing while the allegations against one police officer were sustained. Nine complaints were deemed to be unfounded, two were withdrawn, and 25 complaints were unable to be sustained, meaning there was not enough evidence to prove or disprove the claims.

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Black Officers Speak Out Several black Columbus Police Officers recounted their experiences during the protests to media outlets, including The Columbus Dispatch, expressing their frustrations at being seemingly caught between two communities. They proudly wear the Columbus

Division of Police badge, but felt their race made them even more of a target for some individuals at the protest. Officer Phillip “PJ” Jackson who has patrolled 14 years in the Linden area, became a visual representation of this conflict when he could be seen on video absorbing a tirade of insults from a female protestor on the first nights of the riots. Officer Jackson stated, “Because I was a black officer, it became a focal point, and a target. Not knowing me, not knowing who I am or what I’ve been through, what I have done in my community and still continue to do.”

He held the line for hours that night with his fellow officers, all while protestors not only insulted them, but threw rocks, bricks, and water bottles at them. “You’re disgusting. You standing on the wrong side,” the female protestor shouted in Officer Jackson’s face. “We stand with our people ... I know you can hear me. I hope you can sleep good at night. Remember my voice, Black man. Remember my voice.” Despite feeling hurt by these personal attacks, Officer Jackson believes those who judge him only by his uniform are no better than any officer who judges those they police simply by the color of their skin.

Despite being from the Linden neighborhood himself and being a youth football coach there, citizens of his own community were questioning him, his loyalty to them and his blackness. “I was called everything derogatory you could think of…this went on for hours,” Officer Jackson recalled. He said, “I also had white people come up and tell me about my blackness. Who I was, who I should be, don’t I know where I come from?”

Officer Jackson continued, “When I stood there, I could feel the tension. I could feel the pressure. It was in my face, and it wasn’t backing off. It just got larger and larger.” As the hours wore on, the crowd grew in size and the tension continued to mount. Instigators continued to join the crowd, confronting the officers verbally, until the tension boiled over into violence. Officer Jackson recalled, “I didn’t say a word. I took the ridicule, the abuse, but then here comes the rock. Rock hits the cruiser, I put my (face) shield down…another 20 minutes, here comes a frozen water bottle…we didn’t make any aggressive move to get them, even when we saw them do it. We were told to hold the line, we held the line. After that here comes rocks hitting us, somebody threw a scooter that landed on someone’s shoulder. And, it just became a - it went from a protest to a just an all – a riot. And before I knew it, it was 11 o’clock and things started getting smashed. There were things on fire. And our response to it was to hold the line.”

Officer Dana Croom also found the protests especially challenging as a black officer, as he faced people calling into question his ability to be both an officer and a Black man. He also said the assumptions that every officer is racist are unfair and wrong.

While working the front lines of the protests, he could understand the frustrations of the protestors but as a longtime homicide detective, he wondered why society does not try harder to address every day street violence. “Black lives matter all the time,” he said. “Not just when the police do something.”

After nearly 32 years with the division, Officer Jacqueline Fofana has taught about diversity at the training academy and taken an active role in hiring recruits. She always felt part of her responsibility within CPD was to help bring about change. “People want their pain acknowledged,” said Officer Fofana. “It shouldn’t be a case of ‘them vs. us.’ We’re ready and willing to change.” She said she hopes the racial justice movement will lead to more diversity within law enforcement, rather than dismantling the agency entirely.

Officer Jackson wishes he could communicate to the public that there is nothing wrong with being black and being a police officer. “That’s what civil rights was about — equal opportunities of employment,” he said. “We needed Black police officers, doctors, firemen. Now we’re having that change. Don’t down us for doing what our people and what my grandparents fought for us to have.”

Civilian Review Board On July 20, Mayor Andrew Ginther along with Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, City Attorney Zach Klein and a host of community, business and faith leaders stood together to announce a charter amendment to codify a Civilian Police Review Board and an Inspector General for the Columbus Division of Police.

“This November Columbus voters will have the opportunity to amend the city’s constitution – The Charter – to establish a Civilian Police Review Board and create an Inspector General for the Columbus Division of Police to conduct independent investigations into police misconduct,” said Mayor Ginther. A civilian review board was one of the recommendations of the Columbus Community Safety Advisory Commission presented to Mayor Ginther in January.

In November on Election Day, voters in Columbus passed the amendment to the city’s charter for the creation of the civilian review board. Proposed elements of the review board include subpoena powers and authority to conduct independent investigations and recommend disciplinary action. However, many elements of the civilian review board will need negotiated with the Fraternal Order of Police.

The Civilian Review Working Group provided recommendations on how the Review Board should operate, and City Council announced it will engage in a deliberative process to review the recommendations and work with Mayor Ginther to go live with the Civilian Review Board in 2021.

The work group comprised of community members who worked for several months to review best practices from other cities and to recommend what would work best for Columbus. Their recommendations included a nine-member Board, with members appointed by the Mayor in consultation with City Council, serving staggered three-year terms. They also recommended diversity in race, age, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and a majority of the board’s members must live in the city of Columbus.

They recommended the members receive ongoing training in police tactics, constitutional law, de-escalation, implicit bias, and other important subject matters and that they should be given broad investigative powers, including subpoena powers. The City of Columbus began accepting applications for board members in December.

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