Ohio’s GOP governor says there’s a “clear pathway” for bipartisan police reform in the wake of several high-profile officer-involved shootings.
After the death of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant, who was fatally shot by police Tuesday afternoon while allegedly wielding a knife, Gov. Mike DeWine is touting police reform, including provisions such as increased police training, providing officers with body cameras, and creating state licensing boards for officers.
“These are commonsense things that we can do, should not be controversial. We can all get behind [them],” he told CBS’s John Dickerson on Face the Nation.
DeWine called for “automatic, outside” investigators to be invoked in cases like Bryant’s to avoid the “appearance that that was not a fair investigation” when law enforcement investigates officer-involved shootings.
When asked whether he understands the “feeling” of young, black people who see “white assailants, young white men who sometimes have just come from committing mayhem, are taken into custody” while there’s a “use of force” when it’s a black man or woman being apprehended, DeWine called for “implicit bias training” for officers.
“I certainly understand the feeling. … Yes, I understand how they feel. It’s one of the reasons why, you know, [we should be] teaching them implicit bias, [offering] more police training, [and instructing officers] how you diffuse a situation,” he said, adding that he’s “never met a police officer yet who didn’t want more training.”
When asked whether he would follow New Mexico’s lead and end qualified immunity protections for officers, the governor said he has “not really had a discussion about” amending qualified immunity laws that shield officers from many lawsuits, but he said he would “take a look at it.”
The Columbus Division of Police released the body camera video from the police officer who shot and killed Bryant. The video shows Bryant in an altercation with a girl amid a larger dispute involving other people in a driveway. The officer, who was identified as Officer Nicholas Reardon, is heard repeatedly yelling, “Get down,” as he pulls out his gun and shoots it multiple times just as Bryant appeared ready to swing a knife at the other girl, who was wearing pink and was pressed up against a car.
Other officers can be seen immediately rushing to check on Bryant, who fell to the ground, with a knife visible next to her. Bryant was “attempting to stab” the other female when the shots were fired, police said during a press conference. Several other people were seen standing nearby, and some can be heard shouting. Police said medics were called and that Bryant was taken to a local hospital in critical condition before later being declared dead.
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Bryant’s death, which occurred shortly before a Minnesota jury convicted former police officer Derek Chauvin of the murder of George Floyd, prompted outrage from some, with NBA star LeBron James tweeting, “You’re next,” along with what appeared to be a photo of Reardon.
“YOU’RE NEXT,” James tweeted with an hourglass emoji. “#ACCOUNTABILITY.”
The tweet, which garnered thousands of retweets, tens of thousands of “likes,” and many negative comments, was deleted fewer than two hours after it was sent.
On Tuesday, Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. Last May, after Floyd was arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill, Chauvin, a 45-year-old white man, was seen placing a knee on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he could not breathe. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died following the incident.
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Chauvin’s sentencing is expected to occur in about eight weeks, and he faces a maximum of 40 years in prison. Defense attorneys for Chauvin can seek an appeal, which would lead to a second trial.
Reardon was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
