The Colerain Police Department isn't releasing information about an officer-involved shooting that took place last month, following demands from a regional civil rights organization.
The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio is renewing calls for transparency in the investigation as neither bodycam footage or the names of the officers involved have been released. The investigation is being conducted by the Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.
Colerain Police said excluding themselves from the investigation is their effort to be as accountable and fair as possible. The department also says they are working with the Urban League to fulfill their document requests.
League Executive Director Rickell Smith said releasing footage and the names of officers involved is a simple step toward ensuring transparency and building public trust.
"There were protests that occurred across the country over the summer that really turned our country around," Smith said. "And here we are several months later, we have police departments that are refusing to release the information that they have readily available."
Carrington Shropshire, 21, was shot and arrested by police following a pursuit that ended in Colerain Township. Chief Mark Denney says Shropshire brandished a gun during the incident.
Read the statement from the Colerain Township Police below:
The Colerain Police Department has become aware of a press release issued by the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati Ohio Center for Social Justice addressing our officer involved shooting in November. The release mentions that communities are demanding fair and transparent investigations. This press release comes on the heels of their requests for the body camera footage and names of officers involved.
The Colerain Police Department, in an effort to be transparent and fair, asked the Cincinnati Police Division to handle the investigation.
A fair and transparent investigation only occurs when the requesting agency does not interfere or inject themselves into that investigation for any reason. The use of force incident remains under investigation by the Cincinnati Police Department. That investigation ends when the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office notifies us of their intent to end the investigation or move forward with the legal process. Until that time, the investigation remains open and the Colerain Police Department will do nothing to interfere.
The Urban League of Greater Cincinnati Ohio Center for Social Justice was told this same information and indicated that they had already identified the officers involved. We are working with them to fulfill their document requests. The State of Ohio has very clear laws regarding the release of records. The Colerain Police Department has complied with those laws and will continue to do so.
In our effort to be as accountable and fair as possible, we have taken the steps to exclude ourselves from this investigation. Our goal is to have an impartial review of the incident so that our community can have trust in the actions of their police department.
Read the press release from the Urban League of Southwestern Ohio below:
A previous version of this story said Shropshire was killed. He was not killed, he was arrested. WVXU regrets the error.
