1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: Dear fifty above Karrose de talk station. Brian Thomas right 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: now wishing every potty happy Thursday, slave Friday Eve, looking 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:09,639 Speaker 1: forward the bottom of the hour. Dan Hill's former FOP president, 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: of the outstanding swirling controversy about police chief three so 5 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 1: Thiji being hauled into the Principal's office yesterday. City Manager 6 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: Cheryl Lung said that yes, the chief was asked to 7 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: return to the city immediately to immediately address departmental matters, 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: but they did not fire her, although it does appear 9 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: as if they're heading in that direction blaming the chief 10 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: of police for perhaps failures of the administration. Congressman Warren 11 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: Davidson in one hour on the shutdown the Israeli Hamas 12 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: peace deal, question mark piece deal. I know things that 13 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: are not going real smoothly within Gaza. We'll get to 14 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,279 Speaker 1: Congressman Davidson in an hour, follow by Andre you and 15 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: Andre Brother dre Hurst Breaker's three hundred an outspoken observer 16 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 1: of the craziness going on in downtown Cincinnati. I strongly 17 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: encourage you to follow brother Drag on Facebook. He's got 18 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: to be back at seven point thirty. And if you're 19 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: out there listening, man, sorry, I couldn't get back to 20 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: your phone call last night, but I was really excited 21 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: to learn you're going to be on the show today 22 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: when I woke up this morning. Liz Keating running for 23 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: sinc A City Council. How's a campaign going? Get her 24 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: thoughts on the of course, local topics, including her position 25 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: on the police chief. Jay Ratliffe, I heard me the 26 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,680 Speaker 1: aviation expert every Thursday day thirty today, not deviating from 27 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: the norm. Looking forward to Jay as I always do, 28 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: and I always love talking to former Vice mayor of 29 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:29,960 Speaker 1: the City of Cincinnati running for Cincinna City Council. You 30 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: have a choice. Let's go a different direction. Let's vote 31 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: Smithaman back into office. Welcome Christopher Smithman. It's a pleasure 32 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:36,559 Speaker 1: hearing from you this morning. 33 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 2: Hey, thank you, Brian. I just want to spend a 34 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: few minutes kind of weighing in and I might have 35 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 2: a different perspective than others about what I see happening. 36 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 2: I see the police chief being used as a scapegoat 37 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: right before an election, and it's really troublesome to me. 38 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 2: And I've been talking about issue five and what I 39 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 2: think the shortcomings are with Issue five. 40 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 1: All Right, real quick Chris Christopher remind my listeners what 41 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: issue five is. This came up in our conversation I 42 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 1: had with Ken Kober earlier, and I had forgotten the 43 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 1: way things used to be versus how they are now, 44 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: which means the I guess the mayor and the city 45 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 1: manager are solely responsible for determining who the police chief is, 46 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: selecting that person and firing the chief. 47 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 2: That's correct. And what used to happen is you know 48 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 2: when Striker chief Striker was the last chief under the 49 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 2: old system, which had its pluses and minuses, but the 50 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: reality was you knew who the police chief was, and 51 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 2: the police chief made the decisions, the best decisions for 52 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 2: the department, and without fear of termination. And so what's 53 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 2: happening now is this to me is like the the 54 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 2: loophole here that is personality driven. The issue five is 55 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 2: as good as the mayor is and as good as 56 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 2: the city manager is. And so what I see here now, 57 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 2: and I'm letting you know publicly that I don't think 58 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 2: the police chief nor the fire chief should be terminated 59 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 2: without the consent of city council. I think seven members 60 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 2: of council should have to weigh in on the termination 61 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 2: of what I would say the most important job, our 62 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 2: fire chief and our police chief. And so what you 63 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 2: see here is right before an election, a mayor in 64 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 2: panic mode, a mayor trying to figure out what he 65 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 2: needs to do politically and willing to destroy somebody else's career. Now, 66 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 2: let's give a context here, right Well, first, Fiji Chief 67 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 2: Fiji has given a life to the Cincinnati Police Department, 68 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: and she is from the Neville fan She's a Neville 69 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: and the Neville family has given so much as police 70 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 2: officers to the city of Cincinnai. So let's make sure 71 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: that we put her in the right context and that 72 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: we at least what I want to do is if 73 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 2: she decides to leave, resign, or she's fired, that is 74 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:22,679 Speaker 2: done with dignity. All of this is not on her, 75 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 2: because what I've seen the mayor do is send all 76 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 2: kinds of different messages. One of those that's the hiring 77 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 2: of Irish Rolli in this consultant position, and nobody quite 78 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 2: knows what she's doing and what kind of pressure she's 79 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 2: putting on the chief. What we do know is that 80 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 2: the city manager has really empowered her in a way 81 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 2: that I've never seen before. We have a Chair of 82 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:50,119 Speaker 2: Law in Public Safety. That's Scottie Johnson. He's elected, he goes, 83 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 2: his name is on the ballot. That's the person that 84 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 2: is providing the civilian oversight, not Irish Rolly, a consultant. 85 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 2: And it seems like the lines of being blurred here 86 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 2: for me, and I think they were blurred for the 87 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 2: chiefs on who is actually who should she be listening 88 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 2: to and what is the direction now ultimately to the public. 89 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: Our our police chief is ultimately responsible for those decisions. 90 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,719 Speaker 2: I just want everybody to know that this is part 91 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 2: of the chaos that I think is a problem because 92 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: if the police chief had to come before Council right now, 93 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 2: I don't know if they could get seven votes to 94 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 2: fire her, and definitely fire her right before an election 95 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: on November fourth. That's the rub for me. It's it's 96 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 2: the timing of this public it's the timing of it, 97 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: Brian Thomas, that we should all be concerned about. 98 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: Well, and I'm glad you brought up that the full 99 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: Council having a say in this point, because I was 100 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: going to counter your suggestion. How can we expect things 101 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,799 Speaker 1: to be different if all the counselor the same party 102 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: you've got a Democrat mayor and who I presume has 103 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,799 Speaker 1: a tremendous amount of sway over the individual Democrat council members. 104 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 1: How much maybe that would come down to how they 105 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: would ultimately vote on firing or not firing the police chief. 106 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: But as it is right now, I think they probably 107 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: would all vote if the mayor wanted to fire the 108 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: chief and city manager wanted to fire the chief, they 109 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 1: probably all follow lead and do so along the same lines. 110 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 2: Well, I think you are, you think you're right about that. 111 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 2: But here's the difference. You've got the FLP President Kober 112 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 2: who's coming on and he has people that they have supported, 113 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 2: they've endorsed. So I would think that the FLP would 114 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 2: be able to go to those members of council and say, listen, 115 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 2: here's here are our thoughts on what you should do, 116 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,919 Speaker 2: and those things would be taken under consideration. They wouldn't 117 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 2: be done outside of the electeds, who the people have 118 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 2: put there to provide oversight for police and fire. I 119 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: just think there should be an extra step here, and 120 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,239 Speaker 2: particularly Brian, the timing of this, we had a shooting 121 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 2: off Fountain Square, we had a shooting on Fountain Square, 122 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 2: We've had shooting in Westwood, all over the city, you know, 123 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 2: and the mayor is under tremendous pressure here because he 124 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 2: didn't have a plan at the beginning of the summer. 125 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 2: I've had many opportunities to talk to the Governor's office 126 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 2: about when they came and made the first offer, which 127 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 2: was somewhere in May of this year, and the mayor 128 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 2: continue to turn down those offers from the governor. Right, 129 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: so he has played a role. He has made the decision. 130 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 2: Why is the Governor's office only doing two times a 131 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 2: month now? 132 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: It's four now? Apparently the single ninety nine and again 133 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: recommend people follow single ninety nine on Facebook. She does 134 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: a great job. Pointed out, well, I guess the mayor 135 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: has just recently decided we're going to take four days 136 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: to deal with a twenty four hour days, seven day 137 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: week problem. 138 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 2: I'm trying, I'm trying not to laugh at such a 139 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 2: serious matter. But it's crazy that you would think that 140 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 2: the governor is saying, listen, we'll do whatever we can 141 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 2: to help you, and the mayor saying I'll only accept 142 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 2: four times, but prior to that it was only two 143 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 2: times a month. The point that I'm trying to make 144 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 2: here is that members of council who are up for reelection, 145 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 2: this mayor who is up for reelection, right, they are 146 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 2: as responsible for where we are with crime in our 147 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: fifty two neighborhoods. We just heard one of the biggest 148 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 2: restaurants right signal I think he's signal and Jeff Ruby 149 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 2: saying listen, I'm moving my catering part on Seventh Street 150 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 2: somewhere else. Now. They made a nice flowery statement, but 151 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, everybody unders that they're 152 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 2: concerned about their employees, their cars coming in and out 153 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 2: of that location we had with the taste of Belgium 154 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 2: in OTR. They said they were moving, but they gave 155 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 2: some flowery you know, pressure relief and excuses why they 156 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 2: were leaving. At the end of the day, it's coming 157 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 2: down to crime. People are concerned about their cars, their 158 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 2: well being, their quality of life as they are interacting 159 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: in the downtown area. And you and I and so 160 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 2: many people have been raising concerns about the escalation of this. 161 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 2: This mayor has said it's his perception, it's our perception 162 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 2: that crime is down. Nobody believes that, Brian Thomas and 163 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 2: so if it's our perception. Meaning if he's saying crime 164 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 2: is down, think about what I'm about to say here. 165 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 2: You're saying the chief is doing a good job. That's 166 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 2: been your message through the entire campaign. So why are 167 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 2: you pushing to fire the police chief. Listen, I can 168 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 2: end on that note. You can if that's his narrative 169 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 2: that hey man, this police chief has been doing a 170 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 2: great job, that crime is down. It is all of 171 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 2: our perception, right, not our reality. And please explain to 172 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 2: me why in the world would there be a need 173 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 2: to fire the police chief. 174 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: Drop the mic right there. This is a profound. 175 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, this is a scapegoat from this mayor to try 176 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 2: to change the narrative that he's doing something or that 177 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 2: this counsel is doing something. And all I will tell 178 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 2: all of our fifty two neighborhoods we have an opportunity 179 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 2: to do something different. You're the jury out there. You 180 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 2: have to make the decision, and I would say, elects 181 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 2: four or five new members of council that can bring 182 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 2: balance to this city and can move the needle in 183 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 2: the area of safety and making sure that we are 184 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 2: able to bring crime down with a plan, and it 185 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 2: includes accepting help from our partners, like the governor or 186 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 2: the sheriff, or whom ever would like to weigh in 187 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 2: out in there. Brian, thank you so much. I don't 188 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 2: put this all at the head of this chief. I 189 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 2: think it's easy to do that. If she does leave 190 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 2: the position, and she's hearing my voice right now, I 191 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,199 Speaker 2: want her to know that she's done a great service 192 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 2: to the city of Cincinnati, just like Chief Washington did. 193 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 2: They fired Chief Washington. Most people don't know the fire 194 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 2: chief was fired and that he has won his lawsuit. 195 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 2: He's won the appeal, and. 196 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: Then he may be back Christmas, God bless you, my friend. 197 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: Six seventeen vote Smithman Galaxy Concrete Codings