Citizens air police complaints
Brothers, Perry.Cincinnati Enquirer; Cincinnati, Ohio [Cincinnati, Ohio]21 Mar 2000: A.1.
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Abstract
Since he joined the force in 1992, Officer Carder has been counseled for hitting a suspect with a shotgun; and reprimanded for poor driving tactics, auto accidents, failure to submit a report, failure of good behavior and neglect of duty.
Full Text
Panel begins review of officer’s shots
By PERRY BROTHERS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
As a citizens panel began its review Monday into another police shooting, residents aired complaints against police, questioned the significance of the panel and encouraged others to act against violence in their own communities.
The Citizens Police Review Panel heard comments about police in general as well as the next police shots-fired case up for review — the November 1998 nonfatal shooting of Timothy Blair by Cincinnati Officer Daniel Carder. Officer Carder also was involved in the fatal March 14 shooting of a robbery suspect in Avondale.
About 30 citizens attended the meeting at the Evanston Community Center on Woodburn Avenue. Unlike at other sparsely attended panel meetings at City Hall, most of the three hours was devoted to listening to members of the community.
“We have got a lot of good officers, but we’ve got a lot of bad officers, officers who feel as Carder did, that the law don’t apply to him,” said a man who identified himself as Brother Endure X, of the West End. “We can no longer, ladies and gentlemen, allow an officer with serious disciplinary problems to remain on our police force.”
Since he joined the force in 1992, Officer Carder has been counseled for hitting a suspect with a shotgun; and reprimanded for poor driving tactics, auto accidents, failure to submit a report, failure of good behavior and neglect of duty. He also has received six commendations for his work from his supervisors and citizens.
The panel said its review of the shooting of Mr. Blair will include the officer’s personnel record as well as the evidence and reports from the shooting.
The Nov. 6, 1998, shooting, which left Mr. Blair in a wheelchair and a 5-year-old bystander with permanent injuries, happened after Officer Carder attempted to stop Mr. Blair on suspicion of stealing nonprescription painkillers from the Walnut Hills Kroger. A brief chase ensued and Officer Carder said he was dragged by Mr. Blair’s car before he shot twice into the 44-year-old man’s chest.
Mr. Blair slumped into the passenger seat, and his car careened through the store’s parking lot and hit a van that lurched atop Donald Bush III, then 5, and pinned him against the sidewalk.
The Police Division exonerated Officer Carder, but he was cited for several errors, including shattering the car window and trying to pull the man out. The city’s Office of Municipal Investigations also ruled the shooting justified, but recommended discipline against the officer for tactical errors.
Officer Carder was unavailble for comment late Monday.
Mr. Blair questioned the panel’s effectiveness during a phone interview Monday afternoon. He said despite his doubts about the panel, he would cooperate with its review.
“I don’t care if I stole a whole diamond, that man had no business shooting me,” said Mr. Blair.
As the gathering Monday night took on the feel of a town meeting, other public comment showcased the anxiety and tension that led to the panel’s creation in January 1999.
The Rev. Petersen Mingo of Evanston commended the panel’s work and urged the citizens to get involved in the lives of neighborhood children.
“I lay the blame on us,” he said, referring to police shootings. “We need to stop coming forward and complaining after something happens. . . . Whenever a young black man dies, a part of us should die with him.”
The panel’s next meeting is scheduled for April 3 in City Hall. The panel will continue its review of the Timothy Blair shooting, but likely will not address it at a public meeting until April 17, when it plans to call witnesses to the shooting. For more information call 352-2499.
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