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U of Cincinnati hires police consultant after fatal shooting

New York City-based Exiger said it plans to use a 12-member team of policing experts to assess policies, procedures and training practices

Associated Press

CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati has hired an outside consultant for nearly $400,000 to review its police department for reforms in the aftermath of an officer’s fatal shooting of a motorist during a traffic stop over a missing front license plate.

That consulting firm, New York City-based Exiger, said it plans to use a 12-member team of policing experts to assess policies, procedures and training practices, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

“We need to see what happened and where the problems were, but we want to tap into expertise across the country for the vision for where we should be going,” said Robin Engel, University of Cincinnati vice president for safety and reform. “We’re hoping to redefine policing and public safety in an urban area.”

Samuel DuBose, a black motorist, was shot and killed behind the wheel of his car in July by a university police officer who pulled him over for lacking a front license plate. Ray Tensing, the white officer who shot DuBose, was charged with murder and pleaded not guilty. Tensing’s attorney has said his client feared being dragged under the car as DuBose tried to drive away.

Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, who also was co-chairman of President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, is helping lead the team investigating the university police department’s practices.

An interim report is expected in April, with the final report due June 1.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press

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