A local civil rights lawyer said the Justice Department might make specific demands that the Columbus Division of Police change the way they enforce the law in the campus area.The Justice Department worked with Jim McNamera before announcing this month they are investigating a pattern of civil rights violations by Columbus police. McNamera said the Justice Department could make Columbus police change the way they use mace for crowd control, use military-style formations, and require changes in their training.McNamera has spent much of his 25 years as a lawyer prosecuting cases of police brutality and wrongdoing. In the last several years, he has helped Copwatch, the campus area police watchdog group.”Some of the things cops do on High Street is no different than what might go on in South Africa,” he said. “You see that stuff on TV and think it`s horrible, but it`s happening right here and nobody does anything about it.”McNamera said the Justice Department has made copies of arrests taped by Copwatch and is paying particular attention to four incidents over a one year period in which police have arrested, used mace and detained people while members of Copwatch videotaped the arrests. In all cases, police dropped all charges and Copwatch sued the city for wrongful arrest and civil rights violations.A lawsuit over improper use of mace and arrests May 18, 1996, the night of the so-called “12th Avenue riots,” led to the city settling with Seamus Jones, Walter Leake and Chris Wisniewski for $47,500. Anne Pussel, one member of a similar lawsuit over an incident at the 12th Avenue United Dairy Farmers on Oct. 27, 1996, settled for $27,800. “Unless they change the mentality that campus residents are second-class citizens, I don`t know what will change,” McNamera said. “Obviously there`s a need for police on High Street on busy nights. But 500 cops in riot gear sends the wrong message.”The Justice Department`s investigation found three main areas that Columbus police officers are in violation of civil rights:

  • Using excessive force.
  • Making false arrests with false charges.
  • Conducting improper searches and seizures, violating the Fourth and 14th amendments of the Constitution.
Sgt. Earl Smith of the community liaison service, whose primary job is to focus on community problem solving, said improving relations between south campus residents and police is the key to nonviolent interactions.”Our basic responsibility won`t be affected by the Justice Department`s filing. We need more community participation to facilitate change,” Smith said. Most of the problems in the south campus area are caused by a small percentage of students and non-students who cause problems for the entire neighborhood, Smith said. He said it`s hard to say how the Justice Department`s investigation can improve the situation. Police have tried many different ways to improve communications with south campus residents, he said.”We`ve tried wearing regular gear instead of the `so-called` riot gear at these demonstrations. Believe me, the officers don`t like wearing the heavy gear. But if there`s a likelihood of someone getting hurt, then we have to take that into account,” Smith said.But many people are not waiting for the Justice Department to punish Columbus police or for the police to change policies.Copwatch has taken an aggressive approach toward police misconduct. Group volunteers walk the streets with video cameras to film police interactions with people and hand out brochures with civil rights information.”I`m glad that the word is getting out about this,” said Anne Pussel, a Copwatch member. “A lot of things the cops have been doing aren`t right.”Pussel said the south campus community needs to participate with civilian groups to monitor police procedure and follow through with complaints.”I`ve had experience with people telling me how the police mishandle things. These issues need to be out in the open,” she said.