Experts propose more oversight, licensing board for police officers

CLEVELAND — Ohio barbers working without a license face penalties from the state cosmetology board. Directors of funeral homes who make errors that affect families could be disciplined by an oversight panel.

The same with bad lawyers, doctors and pharmacists.

But police officers?

Ohio lacks a uniform body that monitors officers from the state’s more than 800 departments, and some say that such an agency would go far in gaining accountability and residents’ trust. It could oversee training and boost the standards for those in leadership, while offering transparency, they say.

Unlike doctors, barbers and funeral home directors, police officers work for cities, townships and counties. Such an oversight panel could clash with municipal home rule, the principle in which cities can govern themselves, without state interference. The powers extend to police officers.

But as police violence escalates in cities, many question whether an agency similar to what other professions have could ease tensions between officers and residents.

This month, a former leader of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy sent legislators a proposal for a panel that could provide clarity to the state’s police departments, a move that would make it easier to sanction rogue officers who take part in serious misconduct.

“Good officers don’t like bad officers because they make them look bad, but there is a limited measure of actions to remove bad officers,” said Jeffrey Scott, a former police chief at Notre Dame College and a former executive director of the training academy.

Scott’s letter to the legislators urged a proposal that would offer greater training for law enforcement leaders. He said in an interview that if agencies want to improve, change must begin at the top, and it needs to start with police chiefs and sheriffs. Scott proposed that leaders in law enforcement be required to have college degrees.

That’s far different than what Ohio law calls for today.

Those running for sheriff need a high-school diploma, a record free of criminal charges and at least two years of supervisory experience as a sergeant or above. Scott said those requirements are outdated.

He suggested that those seeking the jobs of police chief or sheriff have a bachelor’s degree, five years of experience as a lieutenant or above and a minimum of 10 years of law enforcement experience.

In 2021, Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine crafted a police-reform bill that would allocate $15 million to help with the cost of yearly training in the state. However, Scott said training alone is not enough.

“The problem is lack of leadership, lack of oversight, lack of accountability and lack of best practice standards,” Scott said. “You will be amazed how many departments don’t have any policies or haven’t updated them within 30 years.”

Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to the Ohio State Buckeye Sheriff ’s Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police for comments on the proposal.

Marc Dann, a former Ohio attorney general, agreed with Scott that a change would benefit police and the communities they serve.

“Law enforcement is wrapped in tradition, so changing the culture and tradition in a field that is so laden with that will require some thought and respect for the fact that it’s going to take some time to change,” Dann said.

He said Scott’s proposal is doable, but it does present challenges, specifically in funding. The plan will require additional funding from the state to pay for the training and increase officer’s salaries.

“I mean, the idea that people are earning $30,000 in positions of authority and responsibility like that is very scary,” Dann said.

Recently, the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission mandated 24 hours of continued professional training for police officers. Scott said that’s not enough. He advocates for officers to complete 40 hours of training in topics that include community engagement, defensive tactics, de-escalation and excessive force.

There have been attempts to provide uniformity.

The Ohio Collaborative Community Policing Advisory Board formed in 2015 to recommend standards for law enforcement agencies in the state. But the recommendations were voluntary for agencies.

Under Scott’s plan, the oversight panel would not be voluntary. The proposal urges that every law enforcement agency in the state meet policies and procedures that include use of force, citizen complaints and reviews, vehicle pursuits, disciplinary procedures and internal investigations, constitutional compliance and bias-free policing.

To some, the plan offers statewide uniformity to local departments that often are quite different from their neighboring police forces.

Terry Gilbert, a Cleveland civil rights attorney with the firm Friedman, Gilbert and Gerhardstein, has long represented victims of police misconduct. He said the idea of a statewide accountability panel has been discussed in the past, only to face criticism from police unions and departments.

He said a statewide group would provide uniformity on issues, such as police chases and excessive force.

“It’s a good idea,” Gilbert said. “The question is how it would be framed. It is certainly worth having a discussion about. To have an independent body on a statewide level would be ideal, especially on issues such as ethical violations and use of force.

“This would offer another layer of accountability that has been missing with police. There is a wide range of behavior that is often overlooked and ignored by local departments. There needs to be uniform standards in the oversight of police officers.”