COLUMBUS – Trumbull County’s representative on the attorney general’s new peace officer training task force – commissioned to examine police use-of-force policies – was in the state capital Thursday for the group’s first meeting.

Probation officer Vince Peterson said he and 15 other members, who will report to the Peace Officer Training Commission, spent the session getting to know one another and the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.

“I was happy to see such a diverse group of people so passionate about the issues,” Peterson said.

Mike DeWine addressed the purpose of the task force and praised prior efforts to reduce gun violence in Ohio communities, in light of the fatal police shooting of Tamir Rice last month in Cleveland. When DeWine announced the task force earlier this month, he stated he wanted it to examine use-of-force procedures and whether or not police are trained to identify an active shooter scenario accurately.

Representatives from law enforcement agencies, churches and communities all over Ohio were selected to determine if officer training is adequate.

Peterson said the group has already started producing a lot of ideas to enhance the relationship between communities and those charged with protecting them.

The manner in which officers interact and connect with the public was a topic many on the task force are concerned about, Peterson said, and those ideas are likely to lead to the betterment of municipalities all over the state.

Peterson served as a peace officer for 22 years, has worked on federal law enforcement task forces in the past, is a trained hostage negotiator and a pastor at Providence Baptist Church. Peterson said he takes his selection very seriously and is appreciative of the chance to bridge any gaps between law enforcement and the community, as someone very involved in both.

Members of the group will study improvements departments across the country have made, Peterson said. They do not have any solid deadlines for recommendations yet, but when the group files a report the attorney general is likely to use it to shape officer training across the state.

“Progressive police chiefs like (Warren Chief) Eric Merkel will be crucial to the implementations we recommend to the commission,” Peterson said.

The task force meets again Jan. 8. Peterson said he has some research to conduct and looks forward to working with the other members.

rfox@tribtoday.com