Ohio police must collect data on suspect race under plan
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Robert Sellers discusses record drug seizures in 2016, as he stands next to boxes of seized drugs due for disposal in Columbus, Ohio.
COLUMBUS, Ohio >> A state certification process will require that all Ohio police departments for the first time collect data on the race and gender of people they pull over in traffic stops or take aside for questioning.
The goal of the new standard is reducing potential police bias against suspects.
Many large departments already collect such data including the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which publishes the statistics on its website.
The standard was approved Feb. 17 by a police relations board created by Republican Gov. John Kasich (KAY’-sihk) following protests over fatal shootings of unarmed black suspects by white officers in Ohio and nationally.
A Cleveland State University urban affairs professor who helped develop the standard says the data will provide transparency and accountability.
