Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken wants the Rev. Damon Lynch III to assure Cincinnati police officers that he and the Black United Front won't criticize the use of “legitimate force” to quell violence in the city.

Lynch

        In a letter sent to the Rev. Mr. Lynch on Tuesday, the mayor requested a clear statement from the minister regarding the violence on Cincinnati streets. Mr. Luken called for the Rev. Mr. Lynch to meet him halfway.

        “We need Rev. Lynch to stand up and say the police are welcome, and if they defend themselves and use legitimate force, that it will be supported,” the mayor said Wednesday. “We cannot have him equivocate on this issue. It is too important to the resolution of crime problems, particularly in Over-the-Rhine.”

Luken

        The Rev. Mr. Lynch, leader of the Cincinnati Black United Front, said Wednesday that he hesitates to give such a blanket endorsement.

        “The question is still relevant: Who defines "legitimate use of force?'” he said. “The community's definition of that obviously has sometimes varied from the city administration's definition. It could be determined, as has been couched by some on the force, that the killing of Timothy Thomas was a legitimate use of force by the police.” Mr. Thomas was not armed when he was shot April 7 while fleeing from a Cincinnati police officer.

        Mr. Luken and the Rev. Mr. Lynch have butted heads over a number of issues since April. Mr. Luken has criticized the Rev. Mr. Lynch for his acts of civil disobedience, which include supporting boycotts of Taste of Cincinnati and downtown conventions and businesses. More recently, the mayor called comments made by the minister during three nationally televised interviews divisive.

NIGHTLINE EXCERPT

The following is an excerpt from the exchange between Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police President Keith Fangman and the Rev. Damon Lynch III on ABC's Nightline with Ted Koppel on Monday.     Mr. Fangman: Well, I think it would be helpful to our officers to have a firm statement from the African-American leadership — Rev. Lynch and others — that they will support reasonable, justified use of force when we apprehend criminal suspects who act violently. If we can get that statement firm and up front, then I think we can get somewhere.    Mr. Koppel: Pastor Lynch, with all those equivocations in there, the “reasonable” part of it, can you see yourself making a statement like that?    Rev. Lynch: Well, the statement I make first of all is that the community is moving proactively. We have about 100 people on the streets in this one community where the majority of the shootings have taken place each night, at least six nights a week, talking to the community about stemming the violence. Again, as I've said, the community ...    Mr. Koppel: But what about bringing the police back in? I'm sorry to cut you short, but we're out of time.    Rev. Lynch: We're not anti-policing. We support good policing. Whenthe police should come back in. I mean, that's their jobs.    Mr. Koppel: And I know it's your intent to say it's their job, but can you offer the kind of hand of conciliation that Mr. Fangman is waiting for?    Rev. Lynch: We will be talking soon.

        The mayor said he decided to send the Rev. Mr. Lynch the letter after watching the TV show Nightline during which the Rev. Mr. Lynch squared off with police union president Keith Fangman. Mr. Luken said he was disturbed not by what the Rev. Mr. Lynch said on the program, but what he refused to say.

        “If I'm looking at the interview on Nightline and I'm a (Cincinnati) police officer, I'm not sure that if I defend myself that he will be supportive,” Mr. Luken said.

        When Mr. Fangman asked for a statement of support from the Rev. Mr. Lynch for police who use force on criminals acting violently, the minister said it was not up to him to tell police how to do their jobs.

        But, the Rev. Mr. Lynch said, “we will meet (you) halfway.”

        The call for support came the same day that Cincinnati's new, 70-member Violent Crimes Task Force hit the streets to fight the continuing rash of shootings.

        There have been at least 81 shootings in Cincinnati since the protests and riots of April 9-12 which followed the death of Mr. Thomas. Homicides through Wednesday night total 28, up from 18 at this time last year.

        Mr. Fangman, who has criticized Mr. Luken for not being more supportive of police, applauded the mayor's letter to the Rev. Mr. Lynch.

        “His letter reinforces what we have been saying all along, and that is that we as police officers are willing to meet black leaders halfway in attempting to resolve this current crisis,” Mr. Fangman said. “By that I mean we have to admit, and will admit, we are capable of making mistakes and sometimes do the wrong thing, and certainly we should be held accountable to the community.”

        Mr. Luken said it is critical for police and the community to be on the same page in order to end the violence.

        “We need more than anything, community support for proactive policing,” Mr. Luken said. “There is not a city in America that doesn't rely on cooperation of citizens and police to solve crime problems.”

        The Rev. Mr. Lynch agreed.

        He said the black community is not anti-police and that many stand ready to assist police in helping to restore calm.

        “I'm for good policing,” the Rev. Mr. Lynch said. “We have a trained police force that should use proper police tactics to bring calm back to the streets. We will work together with police in any way possible to have safe streets because we believe that nobody in this country should live without police protection.”

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