City moves to suspend UC patrols on city streets

Cincinnati took its first step Monday to suspend patrols by University of Cincinnati police officers on city streets.

City Council's Law Committee voted to suspend the agreement that allows University of Cincinnati police officers to patrol city streets.

Cincinnati Police Chief Jeffrey Blackwell agrees with the suspension.

Full council will consider the pause Wednesday.

The suspension comes after former UC Police Officer Ray Tensing fatally shot Sam DuBose during a traffic stop July 19 about a half mile from campus. Tensing has been indicted on a charge of murder.

University data reviewed by The Enquirer shows 62 percent of traffic stops issued by campus police went to black motorists and pedestrians last year. That’s up from 43 percent in 2012. The total number of tickets handed out by UC police also rose sharply, from 286 in 2012 to 932 so far this year.

"It's appropriate to take a pause and hammer out an agreement,"said Christopher Smitherman, Law Committee chairman.

The city signed a memorandum of understanding that allows the off-campus patrols in 2009 that largely gives UC officers the authority to police in city of Cincinnati and enforce laws.

Blackwell has met with UC Police Chief Jason Goodrich to talk about what a new agreement would look like.

There has been no talk of disbanding the UC police department, as Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters has called for, Blackwell said.

"We have had very good conversations about how we build out of this and what the MOU would look like," Blackwell said.

"I agree with UC President Santa Ono when he says we need to be involved with them," Blackwell said. "But to do traffic enforcement of residents -- and it largely appears to be minority residents -- we certainly we don't want that to continue. We don't need that to continue."