America must solve our deadly community-police problem

The brutal death of Tyre Nichols has provoked many expressions of outrage from across the world, but one word from Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis perhaps describes it best: “inhumane.” With Tyre’s beating, we were eyewitnesses to shameful acts made all the worse because they came at the hands of police officers sworn to serve and protect their community. “Serve and protect?” We can’t begin to count the human and public-policy failures behind the tragic irony in those words.

This was yet another reminder of the unfinished work our society faces in securing changes to ensure that no one gets put in these situations ever again.

Less than ten years ago in Ohio, when we served as the Republican governor and a Democratic state senator, respectively, we faced difficult police-community confrontations on a number of occasions. Particularly distressed by the terrible police shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, we determined it was time to work together with like-minded Ohioans in a search of solutions.

Our goal was to find a path to reform that rose from the community, not just directives handed down from police and other high officials. We knew this would be a challenge. But as public leaders, we also knew this was something we had an obligation to confront because the community was crying out for solutions.

We began that process by pulling together a truly diverse cross section of Ohioans, including community leaders, local citizens, and law enforcement officials. This task force travelled across the state, listened to people’s concerns and then developed ways for bringing about deep and lasting change.

This collaboration of widely divergent backgrounds and worldviews came together with unanimous agreement on a wide range of new ideas, including ways to bring greater transparency and accountability to the public and a better understanding of the circumstances around the use of police force.

These perspectives were then translated into recommendations that became Ohio’s first-ever statewide standards for police departments governing the use of force and deadly force, along with hiring and recruiting practices to ensure high-quality, diverse and professional law enforcement personnel. Moreover, we created a database that our law enforcement agencies could use to better track deadly force and study contributing factors — in an effort to formulate ways to prevent them.

The task force also recommended ways for local agencies to strengthen officer training, strengthen oversight to the high standard of service that people expect and fully integrate police into the community to develop the trust necessary to build good, working relationships.

The original task force’s important work continues today through a 12-person Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board, selected along the same diverse lines in order to review and strengthen the original recommendations and monitor compliance. To date, more than 590 state and local law enforcement agencies – nearly 90 percent of all law enforcement officers in Ohio – have adopted these policies and are certified as meeting the statewide standards. And those numbers continue to grow.

To be sure, Ohio’s approach isn’t perfect and will require constant improvement. But, clear-cut standards — buttressed by effective training, supervision, monitoring and enforcement — can dramatically reduce the margin for error.

It took courage for us to change the system in Ohio, and it will require courage from like-minded people from all walks of life determined to face our current realities and create a better system in their own communities. What’s needed is a change of culture, a new way of thinking in which people are respected because they are heard, a community in which solutions are forged and actions are taken.

Equally vital is active participation by every part of the community in every stage of the process. Only when everyone feels they’ve had a meaningful and continuing role, can everyone in the community see the benefits.

What happened in Memphis – and what has happened far too many times before – should be unacceptable anywhere in the 21^st century.

But change is possible.

Our experience in Ohio shows that meaningful, lifesaving reforms like these are attainable by leaders when they have the courage and compassion to act in the best interest of those they serve. We pray that others are listening.

John R. Kasich served nine terms the U. S. House of Representatives and was governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019. 

Nina Turner, a senior fellow at the New School Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy, served on Cleveland City Council, 2006-2008, and was an Ohio state senator from 2008 to 2014.