Policing in America, and Ohio, needs regular review, reform

Toledo Blade: Recent federal investigations have exposed systemic patterns of improper and discriminatory policing in Cleveland and Ferguson, Mo. Such findings are almost surely not confined to these communities, and likely suggest bias in law enforcement nationwide.

This week, the U.S. Justice Department issued a report concluding that in Ferguson, police practices have been shaped and perpetuated by racial bias. Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr., characterized policing in Ferguson as a “tensely charged atmosphere.”

The report was released a day after the Justice Department announced that evidence did not support federal civil rights charges against Darren Wilson, the police officer who last August fatally shot Michael Brown, an unarmed teen. Brown’s killing prompted the probe.

Last December, the Justice Department identified patterns by the Cleveland Police Department of unreasonable and unnecessary force against citizens, often violating their civil rights.

The report was released a week after Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy holding a pellet gun, was fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer.

NEED FOR REVIEW

Policing in America, and Ohio, needs systematic review and appropriate reform to address civil rights abuses. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has appropriately convened a committee to examine statewide police standards.

With such cases, public trust of law enforcement has been severely undermined, especially among African Americans. It’s uncomfortable to talk about tensions between American police departments and minority communities. But the Justice Department’s findings can help bring immediate attention – and action — to corrective practices.