DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A group is on its third attempt to get language approved for a constitutional amendment.
The proposed Constitutional amendment would end qualified immunity for government employees, like public university administrators, prosecutors and police officers. Qualified immunity currently protects government employees from civil suits for actions like inappropriate use of force, unless it can be clearly proven the action was unconstitutional.
The Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity says this time, they are confident of their language.
“We went into this with police in mind,” said Kyle Pierce, executive director at The Ohio Coalition to End Qualified Immunity. “In Ohio, we, we back our boys in blue we’re not out here to attack our officers, we’re out here to have a government that’s accountable. The government is the target in this.”
Opponents of the amendment claim it would hinder police officers from doing their job and making quick decisions while out in the field.
“They want to strip away protection from our police officers,” Frank LaRose, Ohio Secretary of State and Republican candidate for US Senate said. “To me, I think that would be a really ugly thing if that were to be successful, and that’s why again on that one, I’ll be speaking out in opposition to that.”
The goal of the coalition is to get the amendment on the ballot by the General Election in November 2024.
