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Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Columbus, Ohio
| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
|---|
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| • Police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) • Ballotpedia CBA dashboard •Reform proposals •CBA areas of inquiry and disagreement •Arguments about police collective bargaining • Index of articles about criminal justice policy |
| Click here for more analysis of police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements by state and city on Ballotpedia |
This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Columbus, Ohio. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicate how Columbus handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | YES |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | NO |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | YES |
Condition: Disciplinary grievances may be subject to the grievance/arbitration procedure if initiated by the lodge; Selection: Both parties agree to a panel of six arbitrators and are selected through random drawing; Provider: N/A; Arbitrator authority: The arbitrator's decision is final and bindingThe lodge must file for arbitration within 14 days of the grievance procedure decision. | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: City of Columbus, Police Department; Types: Termination, Demotion, suspension, forfeiture of accrued leave, documented constructive counseling, written reprimand; Restricted aspects: N/A; Challenge/appeal process: Union grievance procedure, except probationary employeesAccrued leave may be forfeited in lieu of suspension without pay. Member shall be allowed union representation at departmental hearings. Record retention for different kinds of disciplinary actions against employees is listed. Disciplinary decisions imposed by the public safety director are considered a Step 4 grievance answer and can be submitted directly to a third-party arbitrator for appeal. | |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
| Legal limitations or provisions | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the city CBA prohibit felons from becoming law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Are there any statutes or regulations that prohibit collective bargaining with police unions? | NO |
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | YES |
Board name: Civilian Review Board No details, referenced in relation to investigations | |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | YES |
Mentions Community Liaison Unit | |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | YES |
Disciplinary procedure; Investigative procedure, including right to representation and how questioning shall be conducted. Non-criminal complaints must be received within 90 days of occurence to be investigated. Applicable criminal statute of limitations applies for timeline for criminal investigations | |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | YES |
Conditions: N/A; Timeline: N/A; Content: Must include rights, facts, potential chargesIf an investigator has reason to believe that a witness is becoming a focus of the investigation during an interview, they must immediately notify the witness and inform them of their rights. | |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | YES |
Timeline to launch: N/A; Timeline to conclude: 50 days | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | YES |
Officers may be placed on authorized leave without pay pending a departmental hearing for no longer than 20 days and may issue a claim for backpay if found not guilty. | |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence? | YES |
This CBA covers misconduct, public records requests, procedures and protections related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence. | |
| Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records? | YES |
Record storage: N/A; Storage authority: Written reprimand and suspension; Types of records: Counseling, written reprimands, suspensions Timeline: counseling: 1 year, written reprimand: 3 years, suspension 6 years; Access and use: Member has access Use in decisions: N/A; | |
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | YES |
Performance evaluations required, but not specified to be annual Evaluations based on Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA); officers will not receive evaluations until after their probationary period; officers receive a copy of their evaluation; rater must make specific comments on every area of rating; evaluations are kept as records for 38 months | |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | NO |
Union authority
| Union authority | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues? | NO |
| Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers? | YES |
City retains right to hire, promote, transfer, assign; City shall notify union for administrative change of assignment; Union has consulting status for development and administration of exams for promotion | |
See also
Footnotes
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