Critic refuses to leave Civilian Police Review Board

Gambit Aragon III had a simple reply to Mayor Andrew J. Ginther’s request that Aragon resign from the Columbus Civilian Police Review Board after Aragon posted anti-police rhetoric on social media.

“Short answer No,” Aragon wrote in social media posts Thursday evening.

In a post on his Facebook and Twitter pages, Aragon, who has not responded to requests to speak with The Dispatch, said he felt offended by Ginther’s online request that Aragon resign from the board.

After the “Holi-drag Storytime” event scheduled Dec. 3 at The Red Oak Community School was canceled over an apparent security dispute, Aragon went on social media and called Columbus police “oppressors,” criticized the drag performers for wanting Columbus police involved in the security plan and used the hashtag “F—12,” a common phrase used in antipolice protests, including in downtown Columbus in 2020.

Aragon’s comments drew ire from Ginther after The Dispatch reported them.

The mayor said Aragon’s “failure to set aside personal bias” undermined the legitimacy of the entire Civilian Police Review Board.

“His actions are inconsistent with his responsibility to maintain objectivity as a member of the civilian-led police oversight board,” Ginther wrote.

“I imagined that as a board member appointed by him, he might want to sit down and discuss the matter,” Aragon wrote online in response. “That would be the respectful thing to do. He could have explained to me why now he feels differently about my minority identities when they aren’t being used as props to make him look diverse.”

In his posted response, Aragon said his bias comes from his lived experience and that Ginther has known about Aragon’s feelings about police since before Aragon was appointed to the Review Board in 2021 as a replacement for a member who had resigned.

“The Mayor believes that the board members need to ‘maintain objectivity’ to be effective. I wholeheartedly disagree,” Aragon wrote. “We all have biases. Mayor Ginther’s bias is for the police. That’s one of the reasons why this board exists.”

Aragon went on to say that “the board was supposed to be a balance to the (Fraternal Order of Police), not another mouthpiece.”

Ginther’s office said he had no further comment on Friday. City Council President Shannon Hardin’s office declined comment on the matter Friday.

Janet Jackson, chair of the Civilian Police Review Board, told The Dispatch previously that Aragon’s social media comments would likely be discussed at the board’s next meeting in January.

The Review Board’s bylaws and standards for professional conduct spell out the need for board members to be objective and open-minded in their actions. The standards note that board members have been entrusted by the community and law enforcement with a need to “conduct their work in a professional, fair and impartial manner.”

The standards of professional conduct also include multiple other statements related to impartiality and objectivity, including:

● “At all times, place your obligation to the community, duty to uphold the law and to the goals and objectives of your agency about your personal self interest.”

● “Avoid conflicts of interest. Conduct yourself in a fair and impartial manner and recuse yourself or personnel within your agency when significant conflict of interest arises.”

● “Perform duties of the board without bias or prejudice.”

On the application to become a member of the Review Board, prospective members were asked “If appointed, explain how can you make clear and unbiased recommendations based on the facts presented?”

Aragon’s written response to that question said having experienced injustice himself has “pushed me to be the kind of man that ‘leaves those biases’ at the door.” Aragon’s response also noted that he had taken seminars to help “combat” his “human desire to make snap decisions.”

“As a person, I thrive in situations where I am working with multiple points of view,” Aragon wrote.

In his social media posts on Thursday, Aragon wrote that he felt his actions, including requesting the Review Board initiate an investigation into police’s response to the armed Ohio Proud Boys protest outside the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Clintonville during the then-canceled storytime event, were a way to support the marginalized communities of which he identifies as a member.

“CPD and your office have lost the faith of the community and that is why I was and will continue to passionately speak out against things that threaten the people of my community,” Aragon wrote. “Mayor Andrew J. Ginther your desire to remove the brown, queer, nonbinary, immigrant that spoke up against hate groups and those who support them, solidifies why I and people like me will continue to use our voice. I still believe I can do some good in this position.”

Jeff Simpson, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capitol City Lodge No. 9, said Aragon’s comments have made Columbus police officers concerned they will not receive fair treatment from the board.

“If an officer (posted on social media like that), they would be relieved of duty,” Simpson said. “If the city wants a true unbiased review board, this type of behavior cannot stand.”

The Review Board does have mechanisms in place, although they have not been tested, for removing a member. According to the board’s bylaws that were approved in October 2021, a member can be removed for inefficiency, neglect of their duty or malfeasance.

The bylaws state that a member can be removed by the Mayor after being presented with a copy of the charges against them and being given an opportunity to be heard about their side of events before City Council. A member’s recommendation for removal can also come with a two-thirds majority vote of the Board.

The Review Board, which was approved by voters in November 2020, has not yet discussed any investigations or made any recommendations to the Director of Public Safety regarding potential discipline for officers or policy changes. Investigations were intended to be reviewed at a meeting on Tuesday, however, time restraints resulted in those discussions being moved to the Jan. 10 meeting. bbruner@dispatch.com @bethany_bruner