White woman in a police uniform and wire rimmed glasses smiling and posing

CPD Chief Kim Jacobs: "We do not tolerate bad cops here," Jacobs stated when her Vice Unit decided to investigate itself for their dubious arrest of Stormy Daniels and two other women, and the unconscionable eight bullets shot by CPD vice squad officer Andrew Mitchell that killed Donna Dalton. The Free Press is curious as to Jacobs’ definition of “bad.” Cases in point: Columbus Police Sergeant Dean Worthington indicted on child pornography charges; CPD Officer Randall Mayhew fired for buying sex on the job; Officer Joseph Bogard temporarily suspended for his racial slurs caught on his bodycam; excessive use of force on a man for having an open can of beer. The list goes on and on. Now the FBI has taken over the Vice Unit investigation. We hope they can determine not just why undercover vice cops are arresting and/or killing people – but why some corrupt cops are disciplined, while those who kill people are cleared of all charges.

How many CPD punks does it take to arrest one unarmed man?: Eight Columbus police officers were cleared of charges regarding beating up Timothy Davis. Not a surprise. No Columbus police officers have lost their jobs even after they’ve shot and killed unarmed people. So their 8-on-1 beat-down – including a de-pantsing and such excessive jumping on, punching and kicking that Davis suffered kidney damage – didn’t even warrant a slap on the wrist in this city. Allegedly Davis had assaulted an officer during a September 2016 arrest, for which he’s now serving 30 months. Hey there, Chief Jacobs and CPD officers: resisting arrest is not an excuse for an undercover hyper-macho white punk gang to wreak revenge by brutally attacking an unarmed black man. And, subsequently using profanity and racial slurs while bragging how eight of them were successful arresting one man. Davis is suing the CPD.


CPD’s racial discrimination called out: Chief Jacobs won’t discipline violent, out-of-control male police officers, but recommended a suspension and desk duty for Lieutenant Melissa McFadden – one of two black female lieutenants on the CPD – for allegedly creating a racially divisive environment. In August, McFadden was exonerated, reinstated, and is now suing the CPD. In October, a group of ministers brought their concerns to the city of Columbus about the CPD’s institutionalized racism and discrimination not only within its ranks, but for racial profiling and attacking black residents. The clergy want racial complaints to be reviewed by the city’s human resources department, not the CPD Internal Affairs Bureau. They also want to review police training techniques. Currently CPD faces at least seven internal racial discrimination lawsuits and an unknown number of lawsuits by those they pledged to protect and serve.


Blame the victims: Young black kids lectured for “flashing” toy gun: A video showing a lovely encounter between a self-professed “bad hombre” CPD officer and two black youths in Linden recently went viral. The cop told the young black kids, who were minding their own business and playing with a toy gun, that they were actually lucky to be alive. Because, we understand, he could have shot and killed them in fear of their toy gun. That's just how they roll in the Columbus Police Department. We all have warm hearts and nice mushy feelings inside now, knowing that he cares, spared their lives, and fostered fear in their hearts about future encounters with other not-so-nice police (those possible “bad cops”). And, presumably, shame and regret that they aren’t white and live in a suburb. If only the kids had been white camouflage-wearing militia men open-carrying semi-automatic rifles on the Ohio Statehouse grounds, being paid to protect pro-Trumpers at a rally last year, then CPD would have left them alone. Police officer, dude, if you don’t want to shoot an 11-year-old kid, just don’t do it.


Tyre King’s family sues CPD: The estate of 13-year-old Tyre King is suing the CPD for wrongful death and civil rights violations. King was shot in the back and killed in 2016 by CPD Officer Bryan Mason for allegedly flashing a toy gun. Although witnesses say King did not aim a gun at the timid officer and Mason was heard calling King a “dumbass,” he was of course, cleared of all charges. Mason has shot three other individuals as a CPD officer, killing one. This dangerous suspect however, stays free out in our streets. Young black kids in Linden – beware.

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