BY KRISTEN DELGUZZI
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Baptist Ministers Conference has voted unanimously to begin staging peaceful protests against the Cincinnati Police Division, with the first demonstration scheduled for Sunday.

The decision is in direct response to last month's police shooting of Lorenzo Collins, 25, of Avondale, who was fatally shot after he refused police orders to drop the brick he was carrying, said the Rev. Damon Lynch Jr., president of the Baptist Ministers Conference.

''We voted to begin non-violent direct action in the city of Cincinnati to end police brutality and unnecessary use of deadly force to kill and maim,'' he said.

But the concerns of conference members don't end there, he said.

''There are alleged cover-ups and double standards being applied to our black police officers,'' the Rev. Mr. Lynch said.

He noted that Matthew Taylor, a white officer, resigned Tuesday amid an investigation into possible mishandling of drug cases. But in the past, black officers accused of crimes have been treated differently, with many being terminated.

The conference's first demonstration will be from 1:40 to 3 p.m. Sunday on the steps at Cincinnati City Hall.

''Ministers, leaders, citizens and churches of all denominations will be there,'' the Rev. Mr. Lynch said.

The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth will coordinate all aspects of the protest drive - Sunday's planned event is the first of many - for the conference.