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June 6, 2016

Safety & Reform Community Advisory Council

Minutes

Participants

CAC Members

  • Judge John West, Chairman
  • Eric Abercrumbie
  • Doug Barge
  • Mike Ealy
  • Peg Fox
  • Bobby Hilton
  • Chara Jackson
  • Raven Jackson
  • Dolores Learnmonth
  • Jack Martin
  • Mel Otten
  • James Schwab
  • Ennis Tait
  • Terri Theetge
  • Charlene Ventura

UC Administration

  • S. Gregory Baker
  • Robin Engel
  • Bleuzette Marshall
  • James Whalen

CAC Members Not in Attendance

  • Marcus Bethay
  • Aaron Greenlea
  • Mitchell Phelps
  • KZ Smith
This table lists topics discussed at the meeting that need further action taken, the name of the person responsible for completing the action and the date that the action needs to be completed.
Action Items Responsible Person(s) Due Date
Post minutes of 6/6/19 meeting to website Engel/Morris 7/15/16
Email CAC Members Exiger Report Morris 6/7/16
Confirm Date of Next Meeting with CAC Morris 6/17/16
Next Meeting is Thursday, July 14th, 5:00-7:00 PM, University Pavilion 320
 All 7/14/16

Welcome

Judge John West

Introduction of new CAC member, Raven Jackson. Ms. Jackson is the new representative for the United Black Student Association and Irate8, replacing Dejanay Drummonds.

Update on New Chief and Assistant Chief

Vice President Dr. Robin Engel / Director Greg Baker

  • Aggressive timeline for hiring the two positions. The timing did not hinder the applicant pool. There was a very diverse pool of over 70 applicants; 53% of applicants for the Chief position were minorities.
  • Out of final on-campus interviews, the two Cincinnati applicants shared many attributes that UC was searching for. Confident the two leaders hired are the leaders the department currently needs to reform the police department.
  • In person interviews of candidates required them to provide a presentation to an open forum. An online portal was created for individuals to post opinions of interviewees. The two hired had outstanding remarks while the other candidates had several negative remarks.
  • The aggressive timeline allowed us to have leaders ready for the Exiger report that is be released to the public on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. As the review of UCPD was voluntarily requested by the University of Cincinnati having leaders in place to implement best practices to turn the UCPD into a national model for campus/university and urban policing is imperative.

Exiger Comprehensive Review of UC Public Safety – Final Report

Dr. Engel and Jeff Schlanger, Managing Director and President Exiger Advisory

  • Dr. Robin Engel - Discussed Timeline for receiving and release of final Exiger report.
    • Report was received on June 1, 2016 by UC’s legal department; it was then embargoed to President Ono and the Board of Trustees.
    • Full report will be released to pubic on June 7, 2016 and available on Safety and Reform’s website. To ensure that all media receives information at the same time, all involved parties will not receive the full report until this time.
      • CAC members will receive full report via email thirty minutes prior to public release.
      • Exiger will meet with Public Safety at 9:00 am to discuss findings.
      • Press Conference will be held at 1:15 pm
      • Open Forum at Kingsgate Marriott hotel at 6:00 p.m.
  • Presentation and Discussion of Condensed Report (Jeff Schlanger)
    • Provided handout of presentation containing 14 fundamental findings with 25 recommendations. Full report contains 276 specific recommendations.
      • Fundamental findings – these finding are foundational, core recommendations that without these, the department cannot function properly.
      • Discussed finding #8 - Use of Force. When full report is released on June 7th, it will contain very specific recommendations regarding Use of Force.
  • Dr. Engel advised of intent to initiate a Use of Force Review and Citizen Complaint Process. Citizen group will be comprised of UC community and surrounding community members. This would be a much smaller group than the CAC. Specifics will be addressed in upcoming months.
  • Jim Whalen, Director of Public Safety advised that Public Safety currently has a complaint process in place. Previous complaints number in the range of 8-10 per year. They have not received a complaint pertaining to use of force since July 19, 2015.

Wrap Up

Judge West

  • Jeff Schlanger with Exiger has agreed to return to the next CAC meeting if necessary to answer any questions that arise once members have received the full report and have had time to review.
  • Discussed Cincinnati Enquirer articles regarding the UCPD.

Future Meetings

  • The regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM in 320 University Pavilion has been rescheduled to Thursday, July 14, 2016 from 5:00 -7:00 PM in 320 University Pavilion to meet with Jeff Schlanger from Exiger.
  • Tuesday, August 23, 2016 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM in 320 University Pavilion