• Meet Our Team
  • Advertise on SCDN
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Us
Wednesday, August 27
Scioto County Daily News
  • Login
  • Register
Subscribe For $1/week
  • Public Safety

    💔 Heartbreak in Wheelersburg: First Responders Face Sensitive Task After Child Finds Deceased Woman 

    🚨 Dad With a Hammer: Tough Love or Too Far?  

    Investigation detective

    Felon, Divorce, and a Silencer? Explosive Allegations Under Review 

    SCDN File Photo

    Gun Scare in Wayne Hills: Late-Night Call Puts Police on Alert 

    Whyette Copas

    Domestic Violence Bust at York Park: Blue Altima Brawl Ends in Arrest 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 08/26/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Sheriff night 1

    Not What It Looked Like: Deputies Step Into Social Worker Role in West Portsmouth

    Scioto County Crime

    🚨 Weekend Weirdness: From Shirtless Squabbles to Hospital Gown Hijinks 🚨 

    🚨 Early Morning Assault Prompts Police Investigation in Portsmouth 

    “Death Call” Turns Into Shocking Discovery of Elderly Woman in Distress 

    angry woman on phone

    🚨 Midnight Car Drama: Stranger, A Ball Cap, and a Whole Lot of Questions! 🚨

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 08/25/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    🚨 Not What It Looked Like: Deputies Step Into Social Worker Role in West Portsmouth 

    Portsmouth Fire Department PFD

    🚨 “I’m Dying!” Woman Storms Portsmouth Fire Station — First Responders Step Up in Mental Health Crisis 

    Eric A Froe

    🚨 Repeat Trespasser Back Behind Bars — But For How Long?

    🚨 McCall Road Meltdown: Stepfather Jailed After Violent Domestic Attack 

    body

    Missing Person Call Erupts Into Threats, Taser Standoff, and Dead Body! 

    🐶🍉 Watermelon Brawl? Portsmouth Police Called to “Fight” on Highland Avenue 

    💥🚬 Boom on the Block: Cigarette + Oxygen = Disaster in Portsmouth Home 

    😱 “I’ll Bring a Gun!” Patient’s Chilling Threat Shakes Local Medical Facility 

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics
    Bryan Davis

    Why Commissioner Davis Staying in Office Raises Big Problems 

    Scottie Powell

    Powell Calls on Commissioner Davis to Resign 

    Scioto County Bryan Davis Scandal

    🗓 Timeline of a Scandal: How Scioto County’s Economic Development Crisis Unfolded 

    Bryan Davis

    Commissioner Bryan Davis and Wife Indicted in Scioto Scandal 

    Joey Sandlin

    Joey Sandlin Announces Inauguration Ceremony  

    Erie Canal Lock 50

    After Nearly a Decade of Talk, Scioto County Moves Closer to Restoring Historic Lock 50 

    Portsmouth City Council 2023

    Portsmouth City Council Considers More Cash for Lawsuit Defense 

    West Virginia SNAP

    🚨No More Free Pop? West Virginia Bans Soda from SNAP—Should Ohio Be Next?🚨 

    We Don’t Do Roads!: Scioto Commissioners Clarify Who’s Really in Charge of Road Repairs 

    “I’m Not Here to Replace Cathy”: New Commissioner Merit Smith Says He’ll Lead with Life Experience 

    Merit Smith

    Merit Smith Chosen to Fill Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    Scottie Powell

    “Run on Vision, Not Attacks”: Powell Offers Advice to Candidates Vying for Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    🌿 Bamboo Gets Fast-Tracked at City Hall — But the Homeless Crisis? Still Stuck in Neutral 

    Who Will Carry Cathy’s Torch? GOP to Choose Coleman’s Replacement July 29 

    Cathy Coleman

    Commissioners Back Senior Housing Project Championed by Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    “Bad and Quirky” Lucasville House Targeted for Demolition as County Cracks Down on Blighted Properties 

    ‘A Great Addition to Heaven’: Commissioners Honor Cathy Coleman, Reflect on Her Legacy and Who Might Carry It Forward 

    Cathy Coleman

    Scioto County Mourns Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    🚨TRIAL TWIST! Horton Corruption Case on Ice—For Now 

    Cathy Coleman

    Remembering Scioto County Commissioner Cathy Coleman

  • Feel Good
    A man sitting in a vehicle is handing over an ID card to a female police officer standing by his window.

    Tips for Staying Calm During Police Encounters

    Cyn Mackley

    Cyn Mackley Channels Haunted Appalachia

    A group of friends stand around a table, smiling, laughing, and drinking. There are plates of food on the table.

    Creative Ways To Host Outdoor Events This Summer

    A family of two parents and a young boy and girl are playing laser tag with vests and laser blasters in an arena.

    What Activities To Offer at a Family Fun Center

    Shawnee State University SSU

    Shawnee State University Joins New Athletic Conference, Adds Football to Lineup 

    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

    Three girls in quinceañera dresses stand beside one another. The one in middle has a gold dress while the other two wear pink.

    Tips for Selecting the Color of a Quinceañera Dress

    The Day the Streak Ended: Lakers’ 1987 Record Broken

    An angler standing at the edge of a lake just after sunset with three fishing rods resting on the ground next to him.

    Night Fishing: Who Is It for and How Do You Start?

    good cops

    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

    good cops

    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

    A group of people stands outside with their arms in the air. They hold their hands together, making a pyramid shape.

    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

    good cops

    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

    Good Samaritan 2

    Good Neighbor and Officer to the Rescue 

    Portsmouth Flood Wall Stars

    Meet the New Flood Wall Stars! 

    A bearded man is sitting on the floor and comforting his dog in a wheelchair. The dog has his ears pinned back.

    Training Tips To Help Your Dog Get Used to Their Wheelchair

    U.S. housing market

    Tips for Making Your New House Feel Like a Home

  • Obituaries
    Kay Kelly

     Kay Kelly, 73 of Portsmouth

      Jeffrey Paul Steele

      Jeffrey Paul Steele, 49 of Portsmouth

    Zackery Hatfield

    Zackery Hatfield, 42 of Lexington

    Anthony Wayne

    Anthony Wayne Payne, 48 of Portsmouth

    James M. Lewis

    James M. Lewis, of Stout

    Barbara Williams

    Laura Frances Benner, 89 of Lucasville

    Thaddeus Matthew Blizzard, 58, of Fort Worth

    Barbara Williams

    Connie Jane Viars Snyder, 76 of South Shore

    Garry E. Adkins

    Garry E. Adkins, 74 of South Webster

    Leeroy William Bush

    Leeroy William Bush “Bill”,81 of Casstown

    Jean Faye Lauro

    Jean Faye Lauro, 91, of Wheelersburg

    Donald Richard Aeh

    Donald Richard Aeh, 89, of Portsmouth

    Ethel Marlene Teeters

    Ethel Marlene Teeters, 64 of Portsmouth

    Norma Jean Cole

    Norma Jean Cole 88, of South Webster

    was a 1974 graduate of Minford High School. Albert worked as a mechanic most of his life, starting at Standard Oil/ Sohio in 1974 and moved to Meenach's Garage in 1991. He was saved May 23, 2021, and attended Cedar Street Church, Church of Christ in Christian Union. 

    Albert E. Potters, 69 of Wheelersburg,

    Evelyn Angela Galloway, 89 of New Boston

    William McGinnis

    Stephen Ray Lucas, 53 of Piketon

    Wanda Lou Payton

    Wanda Lou Payton, 80 of Minford

    Marjorie K. Bloomfield

    Marjorie K. Bloomfield, 96 of Portsmouth

    Daisy Janell Hall

    Daisy Janell Hall, 45 of Minford

  • More News
    • All News
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Education
    • Economy
    • Food & Drinks
    • Local Business
    • National
    • Opinion
    • Regional
    • Strange But True
    • Trending
No Result
View All Result
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result

Is It Time To Defund the Police?

SCND Investigates: Defund the Police vs Support the Police- part 1

Cyn Mackley by Cyn Mackley
5 years ago
in Public Safety
Defund Police Support
ShareTweetEmail

Defund the police! Support the police! If you’ve been listening lately, you’ve likely heard both rallying cries. In fact, our analysis of recent Google search data showed a tie between the two terms in Ohio.

As a result, we asked two local law enforcement leaders some hard questions about why so many people are angry with law enforcement. We also wanted solutions. In our special three-part series, we examine the problem, the solution, and what the media can do to help.

RELATED POSTS

💔 Heartbreak in Wheelersburg: First Responders Face Sensitive Task After Child Finds Deceased Woman 

🚨 Dad With a Hammer: Tough Love or Too Far?  

Felon, Divorce, and a Silencer? Explosive Allegations Under Review 

Defund The Police

Let’s start by breaking down what exactly ‘defund the police‘ means. For some, it really means just getting rid of the idea of a police force completely. For most, it means limiting the use of a police force to investigate violent crimes like murder, sexual assault, and armed robberies. They see a separate, perhaps unarmed, agency dealing with petty theft, traffic issues, and drug crimes. Some support eliminating criminal penalties for drug abuse completely.

Many feel that law enforcement is over-funded at the expense of social services.  They say this attitude, combined with systemic racism in law enforcement, is what led to the death of George Floyd. Floyd died as a result of injuries sustained during an arrest in Minneapolis back on May 25.

Please Support This Local Business

That incident happened just days before local resident Kevin Bailey was critically injured in custody at the Scioto County Jail and later died in a Columbus hospital.

The Leaders

Scioto County Daily News asked unfiltered questions of two local leaders:

  • Captain Debra Brewer, the Interim Chief of the Portsmouth Police Department
  • David Throroughman, the current head of Shawnee State University’s Department of Public Safety and the presumptive next Scioto County Sheriff.

We were pleased and surprised to find both willing talk about hot-button topics.  What did they have to say? Keep reading.

Why Do People Want To Defund The Police?

The first question seemed simple, ‘Why have so many people want police departments defunded?’ The answers aren’t so simple. Here’s what the two leaders in charge of making future local police policies have to say.

Captain Debra Brewer

The head of the Portsmouth Police Department blamed bad cops for hurting the reputations of good officers. “The push to defund the police is due to the fact that after the Floyd incident, all officers are viewed as racist, power-hungry individuals who do whatever they want.”

Brewer said she understands the anger but wanted the public to know, “The majority of officers do their job above and beyond what is called for but that doesn’t bring media attention. We do not ask for media attention. It’s our job, it’s what we do. It’s who we are.”

When protesters gathered outside the Portsmouth Police Department on May 31,  Captain Brewer came out and spoke to the crowd. Brewer and her officers knelt in solidarity with marchers and she promised to root out any “bad apples” in her department.

David Thoroughman

David Thoroughman said it is a basic human instinct to fight injustice. “This movement is occurring because when we see injustice, we want to do what we can to ensure that this does not occur anymore.”

Thoroughman said it’s unfortunate that some want to use a tragedy to further personal agendas. “The media and some in politics polarize terrible events in attempts to achieve power and money. It is not difficult to make it appear as though the horrible crime in Minneapolis was more commonplace. Sadly, this is because it occurred more often in our not-too-distant past.”

Both leaders said they understand the anger, but how can we fix the problem?

In part two of our special series, we talk solutions.

Tags: CrimeFeaturedPortsmouth OhiosafetyScioto County
Please Support This Local Business

TRENDING NOW

Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 08/22/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

August 22, 2025
body

Missing Person Call Erupts Into Threats, Taser Standoff, and Dead Body! 

August 23, 2025
Eric A Froe

🚨 Repeat Trespasser Back Behind Bars — But For How Long?

August 23, 2025
Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

14 New Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

August 21, 2025

💥🚬 Boom on the Block: Cigarette + Oxygen = Disaster in Portsmouth Home 

August 23, 2025

ABOUT US

We are a grassroots team of local journalists on a mission to give our community up-to-the-second news and events for Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia. We believe progress inspires change and we believe our reporting has become the front-lines of Portsmouth, Ohio's comeback.

CATEGORIES

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Casino
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • Food & Drink
  • Local Business
  • National
  • Obituaries
  • Ohio
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Regional
  • Strange But True
  • Video

AREAS SERVED

  • Portsmouth
  • Wheelersburg
  • Minford
  • Waverly
  • Friendship
  • Ironton
  • West Union
  • Piketon
  • Coal Grove
  • South Point
  • Vanceburg
  • Grayson
  • South Shore
  • Greenup
  • Raceland
  • Ashland

SITE SEARCH

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.