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Gov. Mike DeWine has called for a state advisory board to develop minimum standards for how law enforcement responds to mass protests.
DeWine made the announcement Tuesday during a news conference that was called for an update on COVID-19. But he spent most of the time discussing police and protests in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd, an African-American, when Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin and three others officers were fired and arrested.
The death has led to widespread protests in Ohio and across the nation. Most have been peaceful, but some have become violent.
The Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board would work to develop the standards for responding to protests including when it becomes necessary to use tear gas and rubber bullets as well as guidelines for protecting the media, DeWine said.
"Through this standard, we want our peaceful demonstrators to feel safe when asserting their First Amendment rights and for the public to be protected against violence and destruction on their property," he said.
There have been calls to defund police departments in light of the Floyd death, but DeWine said "that would be absurd."
He added: "I can't imagine what people are thinking about defunding the police. We need police. We need fire(fighters). We need emergency responders. These are the people who protect us. They protect our lives."
DeWine said he supports the rights of people to protest, but said, "I am concerned with the health risk involved."
He said that "it is disturbing, frankly, when you see a protester not wearing a mask and social distancing," and that "it bothers me" because the virus is still highly contagious.
Ohio House Democrats said Tuesday they plan to introduce bills to prohibit profiling, tear gas and the use of quotas by all law enforcement agencies, as well as call for the independent investigation of office-involved shootings and the creation of databases to better track problematic behavior and employment history of law enforcement officers.
"We have seen too many times the abuse of power from a justice system that cries out for reform," state Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, D-Youngstown, said.
Ohio Senate President Larry Obhoff, R-Medina, and Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights, announced Tuesday that they plan to have a Senate committee conduct a listening tour across the state this month and in July to hear about the effects race issues have on their lives and communities. Democratic legislators want the state to declare racism to be a public health crisis.
Also Tuesday, DeWine announced the creation of a new Ohio Office of Law Enforcement Recruitment at the state Office of Criminal Justice Services "to help local agencies with the recruitment and retention of minorities and women in law enforcement."
He said: "This is just my first round of announcements related to meaningful law enforcement reform. Many necessary changes will require legislative action and we are working on other ideas with the law enforcement community, elected officials and community organizations."