Latest news with #CollaborativeAgreement
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Here's what we know about all the investigations into the death of Ryan Hinton
18-year-old Ryan Hinton was shot and killed after multiple Cincinnati police officers approached a stolen car on May 1. Hinton and three other people were in the vehicle and fled on foot as police approached, according to body camera footage of the shooting. The body camera is shaky. It is difficult, if not impossible, to tell where the gun was pointed. It is also challenging to judge the positions of all the officers in relation to where Hinton was. The whole incident took place in six seconds. More: Cincinnati police: 12 fatal shootings since 2015, no criminal charges for officers Advocates have called for transparency and a full review of the shooting, but so far, both officials and activists alike have asked the public for patience as the investigations take place. Here's what we know of all those efforts: The Cincinnati Police Department is conducting two investigations: an administrative investigation by the internal affairs section and a criminal investigation by the homicide unit. The administrative investigation is focused on whether the department's policies or procedures were violated. Police will gather all the evidence they would normally gather for any other homicide. The investigators can interview all the police officers involved. If they are being questioned as part of the criminal investigation, the officers don't have to answer questions. But they can be compelled to answer questions for the administrative investigation under threat of discipline. They will also have access to the prior records of the officers involved. The identity of the officers has not been made public. When the administrative investigation is over, the chief and other leaders at the department will determine if there have been policy or procedure violations, and if so, they can discipline officers. The homicide investigation is typically turned over to the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office, where a decision will be made on whether any criminal charges should be filed. Fanon Rucker, one of the attorneys representing the Hinton family, called it "a little outrageous" that Cincinnati police are investigating themselves. Cincinnati's answer to the independent investigation question is usually the Citizen Complaint Authority. The CCA was established as part of the Collaborative Agreement, which was a landmark contract between the city, the police and the community. The agreement came after the fatal shooting of Timothy Thomas and days of civil unrest. The CCA is an "independent and impartial forum" for the investigation of serious interventions by police officers, according to the agency's website. The CCA has subpoena powers. That means it can compel officers to submit to interviews and answer questions. The investigators can also gather their own evidence, interview witnesses and review evidence like body camera footage. At the end of the investigation, the CCA could determine that an officer has broken the law, but usually, the agency will issue findings about whether or not policies or procedures have been violated. The CCA will publish its findings and send them to the City Manager's Office, which has administrative power over the police department. However, the CCAs' recommendations are not binding. The police and city manager do not have to follow through on them. Rucker said the CCA is lacking solid leadership at the moment and questioned the agency's ability to tackle a case of this magnitude. An interim director was appointed in March 2024, but a permanent director has not yet been named. Michael Wright and Fanon Rucker are among the lawyers at the Cochran Firm who are representing the Hinton family. They have not made any accusations against the officers involved in Hinton's death, but said they are fighting to get answers for the family. Rucker said his firm's investigation is a civil matter rather than a criminal one. Civil lawsuits never end in jail sentences. They typically end in fines or monetary settlements, and Rucker noted that the settlements in these cases can often involve changes to police policies and practices. He said that the Collaborative Agreement itself came about, in part, due to civil lawsuits filed against Cincinnati. Prior to filing a lawsuit, Rucker's access to evidence will be limited. He said his firm does hire private investigators and files public records requests. He said after a suit is filed, more documents and evidence can be accessed. The burden of proof in civil court is different. In criminal court, prosecutors must prove things "beyond a reasonable doubt," but civil court juries only need a "preponderance of evidence." Rucker said that's like the difference between 99% sure and 51%. The prosecutor's office will also likely do some of its own investigating into what happened, though the office typically collaborates closely with police. Mark Krumbein has practiced law in Cincinnati for about 40 years. He said the prosecutor's office has investigators, typically retired homicide detectives, on staff. They can seek out witnesses and review evidence themselves. But Krumbein warned that it is hard to predict how new Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich will proceed. "This is the first time they've faced something of this magnitude, so it's hard to say how they'll handle it," he said. After the investigations, it will be up to Pillich to press charges or not. She could decide on her own that nothing criminal happened, or she could take the case to a grand jury. Then a grand jury would decide whether or not to indict. Dozens of agencies across Ohio call in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation to review police shootings. Some police departments even have a standing agreement with BCI. BCI must be invited to investigate incidents. The Cincinnati Police Department has never asked the agency to investigate a fatal police shooting. The bureau cannot, by law, declare whether an officer committed a crime or committed any wrongdoing. It cannot bring charges against officers. BCI investigations are turned over to county prosecutors, who then decide if any crimes have been committed. Cincinnati's police union president Ken Kober argued that the public would be even more frustrated with a BCI investigation. "The reason that we handle this in-house is for transparency," Kober said. If BCI was investigating, Kober said body camera footage and details about the incident wouldn't be released until the state finished its investigation. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: A look at each investigation into the police shooting of Ryan Hinton
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Cincinnati expands youth events in effort to engage teens and reduce violence
Free skating on the riverfront, open pools and weekly late night recreation center events are all happening for Cincinnati teens this summer. Cincinnati officials announced during a May 14 press conference that events and services would be expanded for youth this summer in an effort to curb crime and violence. Police Chief Teresa Theetge said youth crime is down this year in part due to ongoing efforts of police, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission and other departments that engage with teens. Mayor Aftab Pureval said this summer, efforts are a continuation of that success. From Jan. 1 to May 14, shootings were down over 30% compared to the same period last year. Theetge said the city has seen fewer shooting so far this year than any year dating back to at least 2010. She said the number of car thefts and thefts from cars involving juveniles is also down. More: Dodging youth violence? Late night rec center events draw in hundreds of teens The popular Rec @ Nite program last summer kept two recreation centers in Avondale and West End open late on Saturday nights with extra events like club nights and parties. The center also hosted barbers, video game stations, food trucks and other activities. Last summer, the bigger events rotated between the two centers each week. But this year, both the Lincoln and Hirsch recreation centers will have large events every Saturday for 10 weeks. After Rec @ Nite served 3,000 kids last year, it received the Ohio Parks and Recreation Governor's Award. While the city is still measuring the programs influence on youth violence, ancedotally, police have said the events did have a significant impact. The Cincinnati Parks Department's Sawyer Point Riverfront skating rink has hosted events periodically, but this summer, there will be free skating every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Cincinnati Parks Foundation is even providing free skates. Skate Downtown Cincy is among the community groups helping drive this effort. Cincinnati Recreation Commission Director Daniel Betts said that city's 23 pools and nine spraygrounds will all be open this summer. Camp CRC has also expanded to 19 different sites offering youth programming geared at STEM, STEAM and other activities. Iris Roley, a longtime activist who is now the city's Collaborative Agreement sustainability coordinator, said now more than ever, city leaders are using good problem-solving skills to improve the lives of Cincinnatians. However, she leveled a challenge to all the city's community organizations - from churches and fraternities to coaches and community councils - to help with these efforts. "Our children deserve it," Roley said. "Let's assist." All of the city's Summer in Cincy programs can be found at online at This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati aims to curb crime with open pools, events this summer
