City’s police advisory team to feature diversemakeup

A diverse group of individuals have been chosen to serve a three-year term as part of a newly launched Community Police Advisory Teamthat willwork with the City of Springfield’s Police Division.

Atotal of nine peoplewere appointed by Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland with consent and approval of fellow commissioners to serve on the advisory team.

Those selected by the city will be tasked with reviewing and making recommendations pertaining to existing Springfield Police Division policies. They will also be tasked with reviewing use of force incidents as well as the division’s complaint process.

However, the teamwill not be in charge of conducting any investigations within the department and instead will be part of an oversight process that includes reviewing the results of those investigations, Springfield Police Chief Lee Graf previously said.

Another responsibility for the team will be making suggestions such as what types of equipment could be added to the police division’s inventory.

All have ties to Springfield and stressed a background in communitywork in their applications for the position.

Members of the advisory team include:

Lisa Dunn: Dunn, who is an academic counselor at Clark State and has experience in conflict resolution and racial reconciliation.

“While living in St. Louis in the 90s, I worked with the National Conference of Christians and Jews to delivermeaningful dialogue after the Rodney King violence. We continued to offer workshops, dramatizations and train the trainer sessions for colleges and corporations,” she wrote in her application.

Jeannette Anderson: Anderson, another member of the team, retired in 2009 from the 178th Ohio Air National Guard located in Springfield. Anderson has since attended Wittenberg University and has participated in a number of organizations that support efforts geared towards veterans and their families as well as working with students.

Otis Williams: Williams is on the board for Interfaith Hospitality Network, which provides services to the homeless. He is also involved with the Clark County Democratic Party and served as a trained diversity facilitator for UAW Local 402, a union that representsworkers atNavistar’s Springfield facility.

“If you don’t understand the issue, you can’t find the solution. So diversity is very important,” he wrote in his application to the city.

Ramona Henry: Henry is a former employee of Springfield City Schools and a board member for the Springfield Peace Center and Springfield Human relations.

Lisa Henry: She has served in leadership positions for a number of community organizations and institutions including the Clark County Public Library Board of Trustees and the SpringfieldMuseum of Art. Lisa Henry works for the Robert C. Henry Funeral Home, started by her parents, and is the owner of Henry’s Floral design.

Ravi Khanna: Khanna is a retired physician and has been a resident of Springfield for 41 years. Khanna said while working as a hematologist/oncologist he had patients from all walks of life.

“I am bothered by current violence in our country. Whether Racismshown by a few bad apples in the police force or violence by selected members in the community, I feel differences between various race and ethnic groups can be resolved by open and honest communication between disputing parties,” he said in his application.

James Bacon: Bacon is a lending specialist and veteran who has served on the board for Springfield City Schools as well as the Springfield Small Business Development Center and the Community Housing Advisory Board.

Lauren Kelley: Kelley has been employed by the Clark County Juvenile Court as a correction officer for nine years and has founded the group Leaders of Change, which focuses on the advancement of underserved communities.

Robert Young: Young is theVice President of Finance and Administration forWittenberg University and in that role oversees the Wittenberg Police Division.

Talks to create a revamped police advisory group in the city were sparked by a wave of national protests following the death of George Floyd in May. He was an unarmed black man who was killed while in Minneapolis police custody.

Those selected will be required to complete the city’s Citizen Police Academy. Theymust also be educated on the current operations of the police division as well as become familiar with its policy and procedures manual.