Ohio State University student representatives are calling for the school to sever ties with the Columbus Division of Police, in the wake of alleged abuses that took place during protests in downtown Columbus in the past few days.
A letter signed by the presidents of the Undergraduate Student Body, the Council of Graduate Students and the Inter-Professional Council decried the response of police, and said the aggressive actions they and other students witnessed “are not a one-off incident”.
The student leaders ask OSU to end all arrangements with Columbus Police for on-campus investigations, and to re-evaluate joint patrol operations. They also ask the university Department of Public Safety to work with students on an action plan that will strengthen the schools’ stated commitment to student safety “through disarmed, anti-force, and culturally competent practices.”
A university statement released Monday says officials will be “in dialogue” with student leaders about their concerns.
