CINCINNATI, Ohio — Police reform efforts are nothing new to the City of Cincinnati. Just 18 years ago the city was a part of the Collaborative Agreement— an initiative focused on issues regarding community problem-solving policing.

This was a year after riots broke out in Cincinnati after a white CPD officer fatally shot Timothy Thomas, an unarmed black teenager. And now with the recent deaths across the nation due to police brutality, the City of Cincinnati is looking to do more.

“This is a big opportunity for us to take what has been done with the collaborative and build on it and really dedicate ourselves to becoming the best to getting better as it relates to everything we do at the city, but certainly law enforcement and everything that’s happening with the police,” said Greg Landsman, Cincinnati city councilman.

During a city council meeting on Wednesday, Councilman Greg Landsman presented a motion of reform recommendations from organizations like the Ohio Justice and Policy Center and the Black United Front.

“This really says that we’re going to invest more in problem-solving, in community policing,” said Landsman. “We’re going to be more transparent with our data and be clear about where we are falling short and where we need to improve and that we’re going to review our use of force policy and other policies that are critical to us doing a really good job at keeping people safe and ensuring justice.”

Cincinnati Police Department Sergeant Daniel Hils says the police department is constantly in communication with the community and is open to working together to make the city better.

“I’ve always been in favor in opening up all the books and show everything we do statically, numerically because we have nothing to hide in the Cincinnati Police Department,” said Hils. “We should prove it. And we should provide it each and every day with constant transparency.”  

Transparency and communication is something Landsman says is needed and he wants the community to know that the issues they are facing are important to them.

“We have to ensure that this is a body and city hall that takes these issues seriously and acts on them,” said Landsman.

In the next couple of weeks, council will be meeting for budget hearings and reform investments are one of those key areas they are looking at.

“There’s a lot of listening we have to do and ultimately we’ll have to make some tough decisions about where we’re going to invest these dollars that make up the city budget and to make sure we’re in the position to pursue the reforms that we’re talking about,” said Landsman.