Board developing enforcement standards

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A statewide standard for Ohio police departments to follow when dealing with mass protests could assist small agencies that don't have experience in handling such demonstrations and give bigger departments the chance to review procedures, according to the head of the state's criminal justice services office.

Anyone watching the news in May and June saw protests of police brutality and racism with little to no conflict, often with police officers marching alongside protesters, but they also saw "things that didn't go so well," said Karhlton Moore, director of the Office of Criminal Justice Services.

"If you're an objective person you would look at that and say, 'That's probably not the best response,'" Moore said.

The Ohio Collaborative Community-police Advisory Board, which is assisted by Moore's office, is developing the standard at the direction of Republican Gov. Mike Dewine. The board previously created statewide police standards for use of force, use of deadly force, recruiting and retention, and body cameras, among others.

"We are not looking to give the small number of violent protesters a free pass. Far from it," Dewine said in announcing the creation of the standard in June.

"What we do want, though, is for peaceful demonstrators to feel safe when asserting their First Amendment rights and for the public to be protected against violence and destruction of their property," Dewine said.