The University of Cincinnati has released the findings of an independent investigation into the death of Samuel DuBose. He was shot during an off-campus traffic stop by a UC police officer in July. The officer, Ray Tensing, was indicted by a Hamilton County grand jury and fired from the UC police department.
The report found Tensing's initial dealing with Sam DuBose was appropriate, but he "made critical errors in judgment and exercised poor police tactics that created a hazard of serious bodily injury or death and heightened the risk of a dangerous escalation."
The investigation was conducted by Kroll, Inc., which was commissioned on July 31, twelve days after the shooting.
The report makes several recommendations including increasing field training and cultural diversity training for officers and increasing diversity within the UCPD.
Other recommendations include re-assessing the defined mission of UCPD, revising the firearm and deadly force policy to include toxicology tests for officers after an incident, and clarifying policy on when body cameras are to be activated as well as teaching officers the danger of reaching into vehicles.
Robin Engel, UC vice president for safety and reform, says the report does not consider whether Tensing committed a crime. “We leave that decision to the criminal adjudication process in the Hamilton County Courts. This report is concerned only with whether UCPD personnel acted in compliance or non-compliance with UCPD policies and procedures,” she says.
Tensing stopped DuBose for not having a front license plate. When DuBose did not produce a driver’s license, Tensing attempted to remove DuBose from the vehicle. Instead, the report says, DuBose restarted his engine and put the car in drive. That’s when Tensing pulled out his service weapon and fired once instantly killing DuBose.
The exchange was captured on Tensing’s body camera.
Jim Whalen, director of public safety, says the report provides a road map to "make our agency more responsive to community concerns, better trained, more diverse, and a model for urban university policing." He continues, “I can assure you that we take the recommendations outlined in the report very seriously.”
The report clears Officers Phillip Kidd and David Lindenschmidt of wrongdoing. They were arriving on the scene as Tensing fired. They returned to duty Friday.