COLUMBUS, Ohio — There are lingering concerns over the disparity facing Blacks and minorities when interacting with the police.
It's been a recurring issue in the U.S. since it surfaced during the Civil Rights Movement.
The age-old conversation was recently reignited when video of an unarmed truck driver, Jadarrius Rose, was attacked by a police K-9 in Circleville. The incident left many saying more change is needed
The police killing of George Floyd and several others in recent years sparked a massive movement across the country.
Hundreds of thousands called for an end to police violence against Black Americans and a systemic change in American policing.
Awakening much of the country to how much change is necessary to take real strides toward racial equality and justice.
“What we want, as Black people in this country, in this city especially, is to feel safe, you know, the same for anybody else," said civil rights attorney, Sean Walton Jr.
A wish and hope, Walton says sadly, hasn’t been achieved — even after that loud outcry three years ago.
“Legislatively, a lot of bills were proposed. And those laws did not pass," Walton said.
Walton, who represents the family of Casey Goodson Jr., the Columbus man shot six times by a former Franklin County deputy, says real transformative change in policing remains elusive.
"We see what we've seen, and it is systemic. And it is historic," Walton said.
The looming racial inequity - highlighted in recent research. According to Mapping Police Violence, Black Americans are still more than twice as likely to be killed by police as white Americans. And Black people were 26% of those killed by police in 2022 despite being only 13% of the population.
"Training can't do away with that. That's fear. That's bias," said Walton.
A prejudice Walton says often leads to different outcomes.
Dash camera video shows Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers encounter with a white man in Delaware County. Stopped for speeding, he refuses officers' orders with a gun on his seat. He eventually speeds off.
An interaction starkly different than what played out back in July. When a former Circleville officer released his K-9, on a surrounding – unarmed black man. Video of the incident quickly spread across the country alarming many, Including Dr. Bernice King, the daughter of Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who led the Civil Rights movement with the message of equality.
"It's troubling to me anytime I see. An individual who is in an arrest, posture, surrender. And they're attacked. That's very troubling," said Dr. Bernice King.
King said it's clear there is an ongoing struggle which she believes will require a collective, coordinated effort to tackle, ensuring justice for all.
It's work Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says is underway.
"We do have mandatory training. It's been funded over the last two years. It's funded in a new state budget," Yost said.
The goal of the police reform efforts which were laid out back in 2020, is to create meaningful change to law enforcement across the state.
"All 31,000 officers are going to receive 24 hours of training, each year over the next two years. So promise made, promise delivered," said Yost.
"There's such an emphasis placed on training, but no emphasis placed on accountability. And so it just it shows us that, you know, I guess arguably, we're further behind, because after 2020, and after all the conversations and the progress to still be dealing with this shows that we're losing ground, we're not actually making any progress.” Said Walton.
Rose had a felony charge against him dismissed at the prosecutor's request. The case against the man who drove away from OSHP troopers in Delaware County is still pending in court.