Mayor Andrew J.

Ginther
90 West Broad Street
City Hall, 2nd Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Dear Mayor Ginther,

Our city cries out, its people hurting. There has been an unleashing of pain and rage, once again,
among our neighbors and our friends. The recent horrific deaths in Georgia and Minneapolis,
recorded for the world to see, are just new chapters in the sad American saga of violence against
black and brown communities.

The actions by the Columbus Police Department on Saturday, May 30, 2020 during a peaceful,
daytime protest of police brutality were unconscionable. No protest, especially one that includes the
City Council President, a County Commissioner, and a United States Congresswoman, could possibly
warrant the indiscriminate tear gassing, mace spraying, or physical attacks that were seen, reported,
and recorded that day. There is little reason to forcibly disperse a crowd of any size in downtown
Columbus on a Saturday. Reports of aggression by police on Thursday, Friday and Sunday were
equally disturbing.

As Mayor, you have anointed Columbus the “Opportunity City,” and now we ask that you live up to
this creed. All Columbus residents deserve an opportunity. The Hilltop deserves an opportunity. This
part of town is unfairly maligned and struggles disproportionately compared to nearly every other
neighborhood; our crime rate is high and our life expectancy low.

If this city and our neighborhood are truly to experience opportunity, we need our city to work for us,
and that includes a police force that is responsive to our issues. But it is not possible to effectively
police this city or this neighborhood when trust does not exist and officers respond to a peaceful,
daytime protest of police brutality with aggressive tactics. There are more Columbus citizens today
distrustful, fearful, and angry with how the Columbus Police Department operates than there were
last week. Failure to hold our police accountable breeds further distrust. This distrust grows the
longer we wait for our leaders to create systems of accountability. Columbus will never become an
Opportunity City without reform of policing.

It is our understanding that numerous recommendations made by the Columbus Community Safety
Advisory Report Commission have not been implemented. These include, among others: an internal
whistleblower hotline; a morality clause that requires an officer to renounce cultural supremacy
groups; non-violent crowd control tactics; de-escalation measures; and establishing an independent
civilian review board. Far from radical, these and other changes are vital to establish a police force
that serves and protects this city and this community. These measures were designed by a task force
you created. This week these measures were endorsed again by members of Columbus City Council.

Inaction is not an option, nor are half-measures. We cannot afford to delay or kick the can. As a
Commission, we ask that lingering police reforms finally be implemented as a start to reform. Further
reforms should come from local racial justice organizations and leaders better versed on these issues.
But there is no denying that changes must occur now.
There is an opportunity today in the Opportunity City, a chance to lead by implementing change. This
could be the start of a fairer and more just Columbus, or it could be an opportunity lost. We ask that
you take this opportunity to change our city for the better.

Scott Stockman
Chairman
Greater Hilltop Area Commission