Latest news with #21CPSolutions
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Firm backs up police's response, de-escalation to neo-Nazi demonstration near Cincinnati
A consulting firm hired to review Evendale's response to a neo-Nazi demonstration near Cincinnati earlier this year widely backed up their officer's actions, saying police did the most they could to keep the situation from turning violent. In a report from Illinois-based 21CP Solutions, released to media ahead of a 1 p.m. news conference May 28, the firm praised Evendale officers for making a number of in-the-moment decisions that "displayed excellent de-escalation skills." "Without threats or harsh words, and without weapons or force, the officers quelled the chaotic situation by ordering the demonstrators to leave and asking, almost pleading with the community to retreat," the firm wrote in the report. On Feb. 7, swastika-waving, armed demonstrators set up on an overpass on the border of Evendale and neighboring Lincoln Heights, yelling racial slurs at passerbys. A group of people, including Lincoln Heights residents, confronted the demonstrators, prompting them to flee in the back of a U-Haul. Evendale faced sharp criticism from Hamilton County commissioners and Lincoln Heights residents following the demonstration. Concerns were raised over why the white supremacists were allowed to leave without any citations or arrests by police. The firm generally supported what Evendale police and Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey have said since the demonstration: The demonstrators were exercising their free speech and acting within the bounds of the law. An Ohio law that prohibits passengers from riding in the back of a truck does not appear to apply to this situation, the firm said. One section of the law prohibits riding in unenclosed cargo areas, while the U-Haul demonstrators left in was enclosed. Another section of the law prohibits riding in an enclosed cargo area if the tailgate is unlatched, but the demonstrators were seen closing the door when leaving the overpass, the firm said. Still, the firm recommended Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich review the actions of the demonstrators for possible charges. Pillich said in February an internal task force of attorneys were reviewing the incident. The Enquirer has reached out to Pillich's office to ask about the status of her investigation. The firm did fault a few of the department's actions, notably an Evendale supervisor's decision to pull into the parking lot of a Lockland school building within minutes of elementary school students being dismissed. The 10-year supervisor told the firm he thought the building was a church and was not aware it had been repurposed as a school. "He indicated then that stopping there was a mistake, and he expressed extreme regret in making this mistake," the firm wrote. More: Body cam shows how Evendale police reacted to white supremacist protest Nearly all of the firm's eight recommendations for improvement to Evendale centered around getting more experience and training for the 19-officer department. Body camera footage released after the demonstration showed police disagreed about the tactics and people were immediately frustrated with the response. It also showed what led to an Evendale police officer driving a demonstrator back to the site in an attempt to retrieve his "service animal," a dog, from a nearby car. In the wake of the protest, Lincoln Heights residents took arms to defend their neighborhood, establishing their own armed neighborhood watch. The watch caught an infamous Kentucky Klansman who police said was littering "hate flyers" throughout the neighborhood. More: Armed men are guarding the streets of Lincoln Heights, stopping cars and vetting passersby The man, later found guilty during an outlandish trial, was ordered to pay a $149 fine. As of May 27, he has not paid and has been referred to collections, according to court records. Lincoln Heights' neighborhood watch is still active, but the encounters with Klansmen and other concerns have died down, said Daronce Daniels, neighborhood watch spokesman and community activist. 21CP Solutions--Independent Investigation After-Action Review of Police Response to Events of February 7 20... by dferrara on Scribd This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Report backs up Evendale police response to neo-Nazis near Cincinnati
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
We can use the ugliness of neo-Nazi rally to create lasting, tangible change
Early in February, our communities faced a profound challenge when neo-Nazis brought their hatred to an overpass on I-75. The impact of that day continues to ripple through Evendale, Lincoln Heights and our neighboring communities, leaving many feeling hurt, frustrated and uncertain. As mayor, I want to be clear: Hate has no home in our region. Our commitment to justice and equality must not just be a call to action but a promise we continually make to each other. As leaders, we cannot simply acknowledge the pain, the rage or the fear of these events − we must actively use those feelings to transform our world. This moment demands that we choose a new path forward that emphasizes trust, inclusion and shared outcomes. From the outset, we have known that rebuilding trust would require transparency and accountability. That's why we took the deliberate step of hiring 21CP Solutions, a nationally recognized and diverse team of experts, to conduct an independent and thorough review of the events of Feb. 7. We are committed to full transparency throughout this process. When the 21CP review is complete, we will release the findings in their entirety, and we will work alongside our neighboring communities to address the recommendations. We have also known that rebuilding trust would require us to address the impacts of these events. This is why our Village Council is actively working with elected leaders from within the Princeton School District. They will be meeting for the first time as a group in the coming days. Child safety, trauma mitigation and educational advancement concern all the Princeton communities, and I believe these conversations will pave the way for understanding and cooperation, which will benefit everyone. In addition to these steps, our council is engaging in numerous private conversations to include business, faith and community leaders in the process of rebuilding. By fostering understanding and collaboration on issues ranging from safety to shared opportunity, we are trying to create a future we all desire. As we continue to rebuild the trust that was damaged, we will need to respect the diverse experiences, aspirations and concerns of our neighbors and be supportive of their efforts to realize their dreams. Opinion: Hate must be confronted wherever it appears. Lincoln Heights is an example. We recognize that the events of Feb. 7 not only caused pain but also raised questions about how we, as leaders, chose to respond when faced with such vile actions. We needed to be connected, empathetic, accountable and, when necessary, contrite. We were not. In the aftermath of the events, we focused too heavily on getting to the facts as quickly as possible. We should have first demonstrated our concern and our caring, which our community has in abundance. We apologize for this and are committed to learning from this experience. Opinion: Evendale investigation is a start, but tougher laws needed against armed threats Feb. 7 does not have to be remembered only for the pain and division it caused. We can use the ugliness of that day to help transform our communities in tangible and lasting ways. This journey will not be easy, nor will it be quick. But our futures, and the futures of our neighbors, require it. Richard H. Finan is the mayor of the Village of Evendale. He formerly served as the president of the Ohio Senate from 1997-2003 and was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1973 and the Ohio Senate in 1978. Contact him at: This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Evendale is working to rebuild trust after neo-Nazi rally | Opinion
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio town orders review of police response to neo-Nazi demonstrators
A small Ohio municipality has apologized for not publicly responding to neo-Nazi demonstrators, some holding flags with swastikas, who marched in town recently, and ordered an independent review of how police handled the matter. Residents had urged officials in Evendale, a suburb of Cincinnati, to explain what prompted the protest and why no one was arrested in the Feb. 7 incident that ended when a group of Black residents confronted the marchers and burned their flags. 'We apologize about not meeting or speaking to you sooner about the problems,' Mayor Richard Finan said in a Monday news conference, adding that officials wanted to determine what transpired before addressing the public. 'We want to improve, make things better and see if we did anything wrong on that day,' he said. About a dozen black-clad demonstrators, some of whom were armed and holding Nazi flags, marched on a freeway overpass before being confronted by a larger group of Black residents, some of whom were also armed. The march took place near Lincoln Heights, a historically Black community. Black leaders and residents in the Cincinnati metro area said they were frustrated that the demonstrators were allowed to march at all and requested an investigation into the response by Evendale police and Hamilton County sheriff's deputies. The Rev. Julian Armand Cook, of Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, who was not involved in the confrontation, said he found the demonstration disturbing. 'To see it show up at the gateway to this historic community, the first, the oldest Black, self-governed city north of the Mason-Dixon Line, it is very clear what message it is sending,' he told NBC News earlier this month. 'So it was — I was angry. I was hurt. I was shocked.' Evendale police have said no laws were broken and officers were obligated to protect the demonstrators' First Amendment right to free speech. 'Any public space can suddenly become the location of a demonstration,' Evendale Police Chief Timothy Holloway said at the news conference. 'These sort of demonstrations are always a possibility.' Evendale officials said they have hired Chicago-based 21CP Solutions, a public safety consulting firm, to conduct the review. The process will take about three months, they said. 'What happened in Lincoln Heights was awful, heinous, hurtful, hateful, use the word you want to describe,' Evendale Council Member Chris Patterson said. 'It's something that none of us liked and we are absolutely committed to doing what we can to reassure the community." Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval condemned the actions of the protesters shortly after the demonstration ended. 'Messages of hate like this have no place in our region. It was shocking and disgusting to see swastikas displayed in Evendale,' he wrote on X. 'This is not what we stand for, and it will never be what we stand for.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
25-02-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Ohio town orders review of police response to neo-Nazi demonstrators
A small Ohio municipality has apologized for not publicly responding to neo-Nazi demonstrators, some holding flags with swastikas, who marched in town recently, and ordered an independent review of how police handled the matter. Residents had urged officials in Evendale, a suburb of Cincinnati, to explain what prompted the protest and why no one was arrested in the Feb. 7 incident that ended when a group of Black residents confronted the marchers and burned their flags. 'We apologize about not meeting or speaking to you sooner about the problems,' Mayor Richard Finan said in a Monday news conference, adding that officials wanted to determine what transpired before addressing the public. 'We want to improve, make things better and see if we did anything wrong on that day,' he said. About a dozen black-clad demonstrators, some of whom were armed and holding Nazi flags, marched on a freeway overpass before being confronted by a larger group of Black residents, some of whom were also armed. The march took place near Lincoln Heights, a historically Black community. Black leaders and residents in the Cincinnati metro area said they were frustrated that the demonstrators were allowed to march at all and requested an investigation into the response by Evendale police and Hamilton County sheriff's deputies. The Rev. Julian Armand Cook, of Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, who was not involved in the confrontation, said he found the demonstration disturbing. 'To see it show up at the gateway to this historic community, the first, the oldest Black, self-governed city north of the Mason-Dixon Line, it is very clear what message it is sending,' he told NBC News earlier this month. 'So it was — I was angry. I was hurt. I was shocked.' Evendale police have said no laws were broken and officers were obligated to protect the demonstrators' First Amendment right to free speech. 'Any public space can suddenly become the location of a demonstration,' Evendale Police Chief Timothy Holloway said at the news conference. 'These sort of demonstrations are always a possibility.' Evendale officials said they have hired Chicago-based 21CP Solutions, a public safety consulting firm, to conduct the review. The process will take about three months, they said. 'What happened in Lincoln Heights was awful, heinous, hurtful, hateful, use the word you want to describe,' Evendale Council Member Chris Patterson said. 'It's something that none of us liked and we are absolutely committed to doing what we can to reassure the community." Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval condemned the actions of the protesters shortly after the demonstration ended. 'Messages of hate like this have no place in our region. It was shocking and disgusting to see swastikas displayed in Evendale,' he wrote on X. 'This is not what we stand for, and it will never be what we stand for.'
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Consulting firm to review Evendale police's actions during neo-Nazi demonstration
An out-of-state consulting firm will be reviewing the actions of a police agency that responded to the neo-Nazi demonstration near Cincinnati earlier this month. The Village of Evendale said in a statement Friday that it has asked Illinois-based 21 CP Solutions to "review the events of February 7," including police actions, as well as to "provide insights and recommendations on best practice law enforcement in today's ever-changing political and social landscape." The firm is led by former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, who has 50 years of experience in the law enforcement field. More: Body cam shows how Evendale police reacted to white supremacist protest EVENDALE OH (February 21, 2025): An independent team has been hired to review the events of February 7. The Village of... Posted by Village of Evendale, Ohio on Friday, February 21, 2025 'We owe it to our community and all those affected by Feb. 7 to learn from that day and strengthen trust,' Mayor Richard Finan said in the statement. "The Village of Evendale and the Evendale Police Department are committed to full transparency in this process, including regular updates and a promise to release the findings report in full at the conclusion of the review." Work is expected to start next week. The full details of the engagement, including the scope of work and anticipated timelines, will be announced during a 1 p.m. news conference Monday at the Evendale Village Council Chambers. The 21 CP Solutions team is comprised of a "diverse, seasoned group of professionals" that has supported communities across the country by "developing and implementing equitable and integrity-driven public safety," the statement reads. Related: Sheriff says 'no law being violated' by swastika flyers in Evendale, residents furious and on edge More: Lincoln Heights rally calls for Evendale boycott to protest neo-Nazi display response 'We will do all we can to assist the Village of Evendale in fully evaluating what happened on February 7th. Our review will be impartial, transparent, and done with the highest degree of independence and professionalism,' Sean Smoot, managing partner of 21CP Solutions, said in the statement. The demonstration stirred up controversy in Greater Cincinnati and left many of the surrounding communities on edge, especially Lincoln Heights, a historically Black village of which residents confronted the white supremacist group. Since then, several men, donning all black and wearing masks with rifles in hand, have recently been seen guarding the village's streets, stopping cars and vetting passersby. During a meeting on Feb. 11, Hamilton County commissioners slammed the village of Evendale's response to the white supremacist demonstration last week. They echoed the concerns of residents as to why the armed white supremacists were able to leave without any citations or arrests by police. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Police to be reviewed after white supremacist protest near Cincinnati
