Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called for a ban on chokeholds today. He announced his plans to reform law enforcement training in Ohio during his daily 2 pm press conference. “We must do more to make sure that officers who lack professionalism and show racial bias are not wearing a badge. The ultimate goal that I believe we all share is to rebuild public trust by improving law enforcement accountability, training, and transparency.”
The Governor said that most Ohio officers do their job well but there are exceptions. “We must also acknowledge that there are some officers in Ohio who have no place being in a position of trust.”
Testing and Training
The governor asked the Ohio General Assembly to require applicants to law enforcement training to first pass a psychological exam before beginning training.
Further, DeWine said the state would pay for six hours of additional training for Officers that would include:
- De-escalation training
- Use-of-force training
- Implicit bias training
Chokeholds banned
DeWine asked the legislature to legislature to ban the use of chokeholds in Ohio. He said there are exceptions. “Unless the officer is justified in using deadly force in situations where an officer is fighting for his or her own life or protecting the life of another.”
He also asked the legislature to create a standard use-of-force definition. Additionally, he wants to mandate that all uses of force are reported to the state.
All Shootings & In Custody Deaths Investigated
DeWine also called for mandated independent investigations and prosecutions for all officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths. The investigations will be conducted by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office or an independent agency.
Body Cams For All
DeWine wants every law enforcement officer in the state outfitted with body cams. He ordered that all Ohio State Trooper begin to wear the cameras. The Governor also said the state would consult with local law enforcement agencies to help them outfit each officer with body cams.
Peace Officer Licensing
Governor DeWine called for peace officer certificates reform in Ohio. His plan is to treat them like professional licenses. Currently, peace officer certificates can only be revoked for criminal behavior.
DeWine said, that like legal and medical licenses, it should be possible to revoke them for unprofessional behavior or bad behavior that isn’t criminal.
