The leadership of Cincinnati Community Action Now came into sharper focus Sunday as the privately funded task force announced the 16 police officials, legal experts and community activists who will make up its police and justice system action team.

        The team's job is to identi fy and implement policies and programs to eliminate disparities in the justice system and create a more positive relationship between police officers and the people they serve.

TEAM MEMBERS

These people have accepted appointments to Cincinnati CAN's Police and Justice System team:   • Gene Beaupre, director of community and government relations at Xavier University   • Wendell Ellis, executive director of the Genesis Men's Program   • Keith Fangman, president of the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police   • Greg Hartmann, Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office   • Scotty Johnson, president of the Sentinel Police Association   • Lewis Kamrass, senior rabbi of Isaac M. Wise Temple   • Elizabeth Korosec, director of communications for Cincinnati Bell   • John Norwine, executive director of the Cincinnati Bar Association   • Daniel Radford, executive secretary of the AFL-CIO Labor Council   • Robert Richardson Jr., president of the University of Cincinnati Chapter NAACP   • Fanon Rucker, Esq., president of the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati   • Tom Streicher, chief of police for the City of Cincinnati   • Joseph Tomain, dean of UC College of Law   • Rev. Herschel Willis, AMOS Project   • E.J. Wunsch, counsel, corporate securities at Procter & Gamble   • Sharon Zealey, Esq., former United States Attorney

        Among those appointed were: Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police President Keith Fangman, Cincinnati Police Chief Thomas Streicher, Sentinel Police Association President Scotty Johnson, former U.S. Attorney Sharon Zealey and Robert Richardson Jr., president of the University of Cincinnati Chapter of the National Association for the Advance ment of Colored People.

        Commission co-chairman and Blue Chip Broadcasting president Ross Love said these 16 team members — all volunteers — bring valuable perspectives to the table because of the expertise they have in their respective fields. Mr. Love said the group not only consists of people who have established leadership credentials, but also fresh-faced, grass-roots representatives whose voices have not been heard.

        “I think people will see these team members are capable of making a difference,” Mr. Love said. “This group is inclusive and representative of all sides concerned with this issue.”

        The police and justice system team is the first of the six action teams to announce its full membership. Cincinnati CAN spokeswoman Marie Gemelli-Carroll said rosters of the other action teams will be announced over the next two weeks.

        The other six teams will focus on: education and youth development; housing and neighborhood development; economic inclusion; heath care and human services; and media, communication and cultural change.

        “This is one of the key groups that we wanted to get formed first,” Ms. Gemelli-Carroll said. “They are all important teams, but when you go back and look to the issues and the circumstances that helped create Cincinnati CAN, police-community relations was one of the important issues identified by people.”

        Cincinnati CAN was formed by Mayor Charlie Luken in response to the outbreak of violence and protest over the April 7 shooting death of Timothy Thomas, 19. The mayor charged the commission with identifying and driving actions to provide greater opportunity, equity and inclusion for everyone.

        Mr. Love, Federated Department Stores Inc. executive Tom Cody and the Rev. Damon Lynch III, leader of Cincinnati Black United Front, head the race panel.

        “This team is just one leg of a multilegged stool,” said Gene Beaupre, director of community and government relations at Xavier University and a newly appointed team member. “I think all the legs need to be dealt with effectively to bring about positive change.”

        Fanon Rucker, president of the Cincinnati Black Lawyers Association, said he looks forward to the challenge of helping to ease racial tensions. The newly appointed team member said he was ready to move from the sideline to the front line.

        “It was time for me to stop talking about things that needed change and take a more active role in actually changing things,” Mr. Rucker said. “We've got a difficult road ahead, but nothing good ever comes easy.”

        Mr. Fangman, who was out of town and could not be reached for comment Sunday, said last week prior to his appointment that he would graciously accept the opportunity to join the mayor's race commission if asked. Mr. Fangman, however, did express disappointment that there was no police representation when team leaders were announced last month.

        The team's leaders are: Norma Holt Davis, president of the Cincinnati NAACP; the Rev. Michael Graham, president of Xavier University; Rt. Rev. Herbert Thompson, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio; Timothy M. Burke, co-chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party; and Michael J. Barrett, chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party.

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