COLUMBUS, Ohio — The cost of a law firm's investigation into the police response to protests during the summer of 2020 has reached $615,000 as of April 9, the City of Columbus said Friday.
The law firm BakerHostetler was contracted by the city to review claims of misuse of force by police during protests in downtown Columbus.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther made the hire in a $550,000 no-bid contract to investigate claims of abuse. The city said the no-bid process was needed because of the 90-day deadline to complete the investigations.
The city initially hired BakerHostetler and signed them to a contract worth "no more than $50,000." City council members approved increasing that amount 10 times to $550,000.
In a statement last July, Public Safety Deputy Director George Speak said, "The scope of this investigation is unprecedented, given that it covers a number of days, a large numbers of participants, and a large number of complaints received. Also, pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the administrative investigation must be concluded within 90 days."
“We will not be utilizing the internal affairs bureau as lead investigators. So as to ensure greater transparency and public accountability to our residents who are demanding change,” said Public Safety Director Ned Pettus in a recent city council meeting.
