Saturday, June 23, 2001
Lawyers leave with loads of documents
Federal investigators end first full week in city
By Dan Horn and Jane Prendergast
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati officials finally know what federal investigators want to learn about the city's police division:
Everything.
Lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department wrapped up their first full week of work here Friday, leaving town with boxes of police records, reports and training manuals.
Throughout the week, the lawyers quizzed city officials, community leaders and local attorneys about a variety of police issues.
The topics ranged from police interaction with the mentally ill to the use of force on suspects.
“A lot of information was exchanged,” said Lt. Col. Rick Biehl, an assistant chief. “We're talking about boxes and boxes and boxes of documents.”
The Justice Department launched its Cincinnati investigation in the wake of unrest and rioting prompted by the April 7 police shooting of an unarmed African-American man.
The investigation will determine whether the police division's “patterns and practices” violate the civil rights of citizens.
If the investigators find proof of serious problems, the Justice Department can sue the city to force changes in the police division.
Justice Department officials have refused to comment on the Cincinnati case. But the city officials and community leaders interviewed this week said the discussions were cordial.
Several defense lawyers met with the federal investigators Thursday to discuss issues and problems they see in the police division.
Bill Gallagher, chairman of the Cincinnati Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, said the investigators did not focus on any one issue.
“They wanted to know where (the defense lawyers) think the problems are with the police,” Mr. Gallagher said. “They're still in the fact-finding phase of the investigation.”
Urban Waldbillig, a longtime advocate on mental-health issues, also met with the federal attorneys Thursday.
“I was very encouraged by how open and honest they were and with the questions they asked,” he said. “They would like to talk to more of us.”
Mr. Waldbillig said the lawyers also indicated that one of their goals in Cincinnati is to address problems without creating an adversarial relationship with city officials.
The Justice Department lawyers are expected to return in mid-July to meet with police supervisors and tour the city's five police districts.
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