DOJ to look at units like city’s gang squad
The U.S. Department of Justice will be taking a closer look at specialized police units across the country, including units like the Columbus Division of Police’s new gang enforcement unit.
The nationwide review, announced Wednesday, will be conducted by the DOJ’S Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old man who was fatally beaten in January by multiple Memphis police officers who worked in a specialized enforcement unit called SCORPION (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) that has since been deactivated.
In a press release, the DOJ said the nationwide review will look to provide a guidebook for mayors and police chiefs across the country to “help them assess the appropriateness of the use of specialized units as well as how to ensure necessary management and oversight of such units, including review of policies, tactics, training, supervision, accountability and transparency.”
Specialized units within policing have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, most recently following Nichols’ death.
Announcement of the nationwide review of such police units came hours after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, whose office oversees the DOJ, announced the release by the DOJ of a report on the Louisville Metro Police Division that includes a detailed account of a special unit that targeted enforcement in crime “hot spots” which bears resemblance to Columbus police’s new gang unit.
The Louisville unit was accused of failing to document traffic stops, in some cases for an entire year, disproportionately targeting minority communities and using overly aggressive tactics. The supervisor who was initially put in charge of the unit had also previously been accused of making racist remarks to coworkers, according to the
DOJ report.
Columbus police’s new gang unit, which the division has said remains temporary and has not yet been made permanent, is designed to have a more aggressive approach than other officers, according to documents reviewed by The Dispatch and sources who spoke about the unit. The uniforms and cruisers for the unit, as proposed and confirmed by documents related to their purchase by the division, would also be different than those used by regular patrol officers.
The sergeant currently overseeing the Columbus gang enforcement unit has been named in two lawsuits, one of
which was settled and the other which was dismissed, and investigated internally for allegations of possible racial profiling related to questionable traffic stops. That internal investigation resulted in no serious discipline.
The COPS office has already agreed to do a review of Columbus police uses of force and policies related to use of force as part of a continuing arrangement with the city. First asked to come to Columbus in 2021 to do such a review, the office finished an 18-month examination in February by issuing a 14-page report that focused on community policing.
Melanie Amato, public relations adviser
for Columbus Division of Police, said the division welcomes input from the DOJ.
“Independent of the DOJ’S involvement, the Division consistently evaluates its strategies and tactics to meet the challenges and needs of our community,” Amato said.
The city Department of Public Safety said it agrees with the Columbus Division of Police’s comments and would not be providing any further comment.
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. bbruner@dispatch.com @bethany_bruner