Friday, June 25, 1999
Police chief admits meeting with Cooper was mistake
BY TANYA BRICKING
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati Police Chief Thomas Streicher Jr. acknowledged Thursday it was a mistake for him to have met in a council member's office to discuss the arrest of her son before the case went to trial.
Chief Streicher and city Safety Director Kent Ryan met in Vice Mayor Minette Cooper's City Hall office to talk about the arrest of her son, Curtis, 22.
Mrs. Cooper said she had questions about her son's treatment after he tripped a burglar alarm at his father's home in April and an officer drew a gun on him.
Her meetings with city administrators prompted criticism from the Fraternal Order of Police, the union that accused her of using political pressure to influence her son's case. She denies the allegation.
“In hindsight, she was acting as a mother concerned for her son,” Chief Streicher said. “(But meeting) in a council member's office, that's personal business. I would stand by my reputation. I've done nothing wrong. But I'm vulnerable to that criticism.”
Chief Streicher said he is not exempt from review, and he also will be looking at the conduct of officers involved, the safety director, Mrs. Cooper, her son and FOP President Keith Fangman.
“What does review mean?” the chief said. “Does that imply that something was done wrong? No, it doesn't.”
He said he routinely reviews the conduct of his officers.
In this case, that routine has been played out in the media, with the Democratic Party calling a press conference last week to blast Officer Fangman, saying he jeopardized Mr. Cooper's safety by telling reporters Mr. Cooper was a drug informant.
“The confidential informant information has been taken out of context,” Mr. Fangman said. “I didn't wake up one morning and decide to front Mr. Cooper out for the fun of it.”
He said Vice Mayor Cooper and her son alleged in public, verbal complaints against police that Mr. Cooper was removed as an informant after his arrest, hurting his chances to have charges reduced to a misdemeanor.
Mr. Cooper pleaded guilty to felony drug charges and is serving six months at a drug-treatment center.
“They made public complaints about his status; and we, the FOP, simply reacted to their complaints,” Mr. Fangman said.
Mrs. Cooper has said that Mr. Fangman was the one who revealed her son as an informant.
Chief Streicher said he expects to finish his review in the next few weeks.
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