A comment Tuesday by Cincinnati's police chief caused some confusion about the months-old federal civil-rights investigation into former Officer Stephen Roach's shooting of Timothy Thomas.

        Chief Tom Streicher was trying to answer questions at a community meeting about his department's handling of the case and about why Officer Roach had not been interviewed. He explained his investigators couldn't talk to Officer Roach because of the federal criminal case.

        Many who heard the comments thought the chief was talking about a new investigation. Mayor Charlie Luken looked surprised. Vice Mayor Alicia Reece asked the chief to repeat himself.

        “That's the kind of thing people need to know,” Ms. Reece said later. “If it's true, it answers a lot of questions people have.”

        It's true, it's just not new.

        Justice Department officials said the “investigation” mentioned by Chief Streicher is actually a review that began after Mr. Thomas was shot April 7, 2001.

        “This has been an ongoing matter,” said Justice spokesman Dan Nelson.

        After Mr. Thomas' death, Justice officials said the purpose of their review was to determine whether the shooting was a violation of federal civil rights laws.

        Mr. Nelson said that review has continued with a recent examination of records from the criminal investigation into Mr. Thomas' death and from Officer Roach's trial last year. In the last few weeks, Cincinnati police turned over the investigation by its homicide unit.

        Mr. Nelson would not comment on how long the review might take. Civil-rights violations are historically difficult to prove in criminal cases because prosecutors must show that victims were targeted because of their race or religion.

        “Where they are in it, what they're doing — I don't know,” Chief Streicher said. “It's just something that's been going on.”

        Juleana Frierson, chief of staff for the Cincinnati Black United Front, said the group doesn't expect Officer Roach, who now works for the Evendale Police Department, to face any federal charges.

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