Public Safety

Good police practices, thorough training, carefully crafted policies, appropriate allocation of resources, and strong political and professional leadership can ensure public safety and prevent abuses in encounters between police officers and citizens.

Photograph of a police siren, with police officers in the background depth of field

The ACLU of Ohio advocates for a vision of public safety centered on reducing police overreach and overreliance, addressing the root causes of crime, and reinvesting in community resources.

Our laws give police extraordinary authority – it’s imperative that law enforcement perform their duties without trampling individuals’ civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of Ohio also advocates against excessive force and has brought lawsuits against agencies who use excessive force against peaceful protesters.

The ACLU of Ohio works to ensure that police be transparent, accountable, and responsive to the communities they serve. Police must treat all people fairly, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or mental or physical disability. The underlying problem with policing isn't a lack of training or policies and procedures, it's systemic. In order to address racism in policing, we need to fundamentally reimagine the role police play in our society.


We also advocate for solutions that address the root causes of public safety issues to stop crime before it happens.

People experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis are in urgent need of compassion, care, and support. But too often, they are met with a police response that worsens the situation and leads to their arrest, involuntary hospitalization, incarceration, or the use of deadly force against them.

The ACLU of Ohio serves as an Executive Committee member for the Columbus Safety Collective Campaign, a community-driven movement focused on establishing an alternative-police response system that serves all Columbus residents. The campaign has collected tens of thousands of signatures for The Community Crisis Response Amendment over the past several months and is working to place the issue on the City of Columbus’ May 2026 primary election ballot.

For archived information about Cleveland’s Consent Decree, read here.

The Latest

Know Your Rights
Know Your Rights - Rights Versus Reality - Panelists

Know Your Rights: Rights Versus Reality

News & Commentary
Blue and white Photograph of a police officer's chest, with the name tag, body cam, badge, and radio in black

Police Identities Hidden Under Victims’ Rights Law: Marsy’s Law and access to police records

A transparent government can be an accountable government.
Resource
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Kids Deserve Safe Schools

Press Release
The words 'Press Release' in white in a navy rectangle with an orange highlight mark on a green background

New Data Shows Over-Policing, Racial Disparities, and Lack of Accountability in Cincinnati Public Schools

Research unveiled from the 2021-2022 school year, showing how school police administer racially disparate discipline in Cincinnati Public Schools, perpetuating harm and reinforcing the school-to-prison pipeline.
Court Case
Jul 22, 2025

State v. Tolbert (amicus)

Law enforcement is increasingly using artificial intelligence, including facial recognition technology to investigate crimes. However, the use of such technology to identify a suspect is akin to relying on an anonymous informant, which in and of itself is insufficient to establish probable cause.
Court Case
Feb 12, 2021

Petitt v. Morrow, et al.

Nick Petitt filmed a Columbus Police SWAT team from his porch. Officers then entered onto Mr. Petitt’s property unlawfully, attacked him, arrested him, and seized his phone, in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.
Court Case
Aug 03, 2017

Abdur-Rahim et al. v. City of Columbus et al.

Columbus police officers violated the Fourth Amendment prohibition on excessive use of force and the First Amendment rights to speech and assembly when they targeted and pepper sprayed peaceful, unarmed protesters who were in the process of complying with dispersal orders.
Court Case
Aug 01, 2015

ACLU of Ohio, et al. v. City of Cleveland, et al.