The City of Columbus has released the final 14 reports in the BakerHostetler's investigation of police and their use of force during the protests earlier this year.
The new reports all read as not sustained, exonerated or unfounded. Of the 36 total investigations into alleged police misconduct, only one complaint was sustained or that the officer did not act within police policy.
Earlier this week, Mayor Andrew Ginther said he was upset with the findings and said the investigations proved a need for police reform.
“We should be hearing that the mayor is proud of his police officers. He's proud they were investigated by civilians and that it came out these officers did the right thing in unprecedented times in their words,” Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 9 President Keith Ferrell said.
Ginther hired the law firm BakerHostetler 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.
“We could focus that money that we spent on this case on these investigations on crime in the city, on projects that need to be done,” Ferrell said.
Ginther said the money spent on the investigation was absolutely worth it and that many of the cases were not sustained because investigators could not identify the officers.
Ferrell says instead of attacking the officers, the mayor should thank them.
“We should applaud those officers, the men and women who were down there for 16 hours a day, that were taking bottles, rocks, everything else that was thrown at them. Some that are still recovering,” Ferrell said.
BakerHostetler was also hired by the city in a separate $50,000 no-bid contract to investigate the social media use of a deputy chief. That investigation is on-going.
There is also a separate investigation into 21 cases of possible criminal wrong-doing by officers during the protests by a former FBI agent. That investigation is also on-going.
In addition to the BakerHostetler investigations, the city attorney's office hired a former U.S. attorney to investigate how the city handled the protest. That investigation will cost $250,000.
That money will come from the police department's seizure fund.