The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

        Ohio's secretary of state, a civil-rights pioneer, several former Cincinnati council membersand a half-dozen religious leaders Friday delivered a strong message to City Hall: Only sweeping changes will ease the racial tension gripping Cincinnati.

        A 26-member coalition, all African-American, made several demands of city officials Friday, including a change in the city's charter that would make it easier to hire an out-of-town police chief.

        “This is our city as much as it is anybody else's and we are concerned about what goes on in our city,” said the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, who worked with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1950s and 1960s. He is pastor of Greater New Light Baptist Church in North Avondale.

COALITION DEMANDS

• Allow voters to change the process by which Cincinnati's police chief is selected.   • Swift resolution in the investigation of the death of Timothy Thomas.   • Subpoena power for the Citizen Police Review Board.   • An independent review of police policies and practices.   • Police reform becomes the city manager's top priority. Also, they want him to produce public reports on his progress.   • Increase job training opportunities for African-American teens.   • 200 community volunteers to help calm the community.

COALITION MEMBERS

Coalition members who signed the statement include:   • Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, pastor of New Greater Life Baptist Church, North Avondale.   • Minister James Muhammad, Nation of Islam.   • Rev. Donald Jones, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, in Avondale.   • Former Vice Mayor Tyrone Yates.   • Former Mayor Dwight Tillery.   • Former Councilman Charles Winburn.   • Vincent Hughes,member of the Citizens Committee on Youth.   • Victoria Straughn, community activist.   • James Cantrell, pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Avondale.   • Jenny Laster, executive director of the Grassroots Leadership Academy.   • Rodney Brown, administrative assistant with the Grassroots Leadership Academy.   • Roger Davis, citizen.   • Valarie Boykins, citizen.   • E.J. Fields, citizen.   • Laketa Cole, independent City Council candidate.   Unsigned coalition members:   • Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell.   • State Rep. Samuel Britton, D-Cincinnati.   • State Rep. Catherine Barrett, D-Cincinnati.   • State Sen. Mark Mallory, D-Cincinnati.   • Vice Mayor Minette Cooper.

        “We have tried for years to bring attention to these things. Now, the city must move expeditiously to take control of its police department. ... Only the truth shall make us free.”

        In a joint statement read by Jenny Laster, who is part of the group, the leaders also asked for a “swift resolution” to the investigation surrounding the death of Timothy Thomas. He is the unarmed 19-year-old African-American shot and killed by a Cincinnati police officer April 7 in Over-the-Rhine.

        Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken said Friday that he'll meet with the group and review its demands next week. He added that while he hadn't seen the requests “it sounds ... like we are working on some of them already, as a city.”

        The city's police and fire chiefs are promoted based on test scores. Only assistant chiefs now with the city can take the test. Those with the highest scores are interviewed by the city manager, who selects one for the job.

        Changing the system would require a charter amendment that would go to voters in November. Vice Mayor Minette Cooper, a member of the group, has said the change would restore citizens' trust in their leaders.

        Members also announced Friday that Martin Luther King III, son of Dr. King, will be in Cincinnati today to give a 5 p.m. speech at Greater New Light Baptist Church, 710 N. Fred Shuttlesworth Circle.

        Mr. King, who heads the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta, was invited by the Rev. Mr. Shuttlesworth.

        The SCLC was established in 1957 by the elder King to promote nonviolent social change.

        Denouncing the violent unrest in various neighborhoods, the Cincinnati group called for its end.

        However, the members said it is only a reaction to the inequities that have ex isted in Cincinnati for decades.

        “Cincinnati, you have been no Queen City. This is a city deeply divided along racial lines. The problems we face go deeper than Timothy Thomas. ... Unfortunately, it has taken his death to finally get some reaction out of this city,” the coalition said in a joint statement.

        The group said it agreed with the mayor's decision to impose a curfew. Mr. Blackwell called the decision courageous.

        Ms. Cooper said she is confident Mr. Luken will listen. However, it will take some time to bring change.

        “We didn't get here in a minute. We won't get out of this in a minute.”

        Robert Anglen contributed.
       

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