Columbus, OH Mayor Andrew Ginther has asked the U.S. Department of Justice for a formal review of racial bias in the city's police force (article available here).
In a letter to the Justice Department's Acting Deputy Director, the mayor invited the DOJ to review the city's police operations, identify "any and all racial biases in policing efforts," and offer findings and solutions for reform.
The request comes a week after an officer fatally shot 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant. Columbus police say officer Nicholas Reardon fired his weapon after being called to a reported disturbance. Footage of the incident showed Bryant holding what looks to be a knife, and Reardon firing four shots at her almost immediately after arriving on the scene.
Since January 2020, eight people have been killed in shootings involving Columbus and Franklin County police officers, according to The Columbus Dispatch. A study released in February found that Franklin County has among the highest rates of deadly law enforcement shootings in Ohio, and one of the highest in the U.S.