Originally published on April 28, 2021 5:26 pm
Columbus city officials are asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the Columbus Division of Police. The request comes after an officer in the department fatally shot Ma’Khia Bryant last week.
In a letter to the DOJ, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein asked for an evaluation of CPD’s police reform efforts to determine whether they are sufficient or working. They also asked the department to investigate whether racial disparities exist in CPD that impact things like use of force, discipline and hiring practices.
City officials say they will cooperate with the DOJ to advance police reform.