By Gregory Korte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DOWNTOWN - The Cincinnati Police Department should improve its training on dealing with mentally ill and disorderly subjects, a federal monitor said Thursday.

In his fourth report since a federal judge appointed him to oversee two police reform agreements, Saul Green said the Nov. 30 death of Nathaniel Jones in a struggle with police shows that the city has made progress, but has more work to do.

Jones died after a struggle with four police officers responding to a disorderly conduct complaint in a fast-food parking lot.

The incident was captured on a police cruiser video camera and has become the most controversial use of force by police since the shooting death of Timothy Thomas sparked civil unrest in 2001.

The monitor did not take any position on the incident itself, saying he would review the internal affairs and Citizen Complaint Authority investigations once they're completed.

But he said the Police Department should address important issues raised by the Jones incident. Those should include training on disorderly and mentally ill subjects, disengagement techniques, and first aid.

City Manager Valerie Lemmie has already ordered police officers to maintain an annual certification in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

"There is also a need to bring together the various segments of the Cincinnati community and begin repairing any damage to police-community relations," Green said. "The divergent reactions among members of the Cincinnati community reflect how much work remains to be done to improve relations between the police and the community and on race relations in general in Cincinnati."

But Green said the aftermath of the incident also showed how the Collaborative Agreement - a 2002 settlement between the city, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and the Fraternal Order of Police - has had a "positive impact."

"Despite strong feelings on all sides of the issues, there was no unrest or violence," he noted.

Green, the former U.S. attorney for Detroit, praised the community forum in Walnut Hills organized by the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission.

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com