Kenneth W. French Memorial Site

Civilian Criminal Activity Task Force
"Citizen's Front Line Anti-Crime Task Force - Creating Safer Communities"

THE KENNETH FRENCH STORY

By Cornell McCleary

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In 1988, the street sales of the illegal drug crack-cocaine became a major problem in the City of Columbus, Ohio. The Columbus Division of  Police did everything that it could  at the time to attack the problem however, the Division became faced with a public safety nightmare unlike any other safety issue that the Division had encountered before.

Crack-cocaine, a illegal drug specifically designed for mass distribution in urban area, an illegal drug that was not only specifically designed to be targeted for sale to poor urban dwellers, the drug itself was both extremely  potent and addictive. One or two tries of  crack-cocaine and the user, more often than not, ended up hooked on the drug.

There were also socio-economic variables tied to  the use and distribution of crack that significantly contributed to making attacking this particular public safety problem one of the greatest challenges ever faced by America's law enforcement community in general. One of the primary socio-economic variables was the fact that unemployment, especially youth unemployment,  in many urban areas is consistently two to three times higher than that of the general community.  Crack-cocaine quickly and easily became urban illegal drug dealer's product of choice.

When the sale of crack became a problem in any community,  every aspect of   the infected community was changed, and changed for the worst.  No community knew how to either prevent or rise to the challenges caused by this new wave of   street drug dealers, 

A common term used at the time to describe the law enforcement community's efforts to battle the growing use and sales of illegal drugs in America was the use of the term "Drug War". Nothing could be further from the truth.  As a matter of practicality declaration of or engaging in a "War" entails utilizing ever resource available to accomplish the stated or intended objective, which is, the winning of  the so-called declared "War".  However, throughout all of   America, for all intents and purposes,  the law enforcement community   ending up making out like bandits.  Tons of money and large amounts of so-called crime fighting equipment was being given to law enforcement agencies by the politicos who found it easier, for a while, to throw money at the problem in response to growing citizens fears regarding a ever increasing crime rate, especially in the area's of violent personal crimes.

By 1990, folks all across America started to realize that just giving cops more and bigger guns, as well as, trying to put everyone in jail was not going to get the crime fighting job done or the so-called " War On Drugs" won.

A public consensus emerged  advocating that to solve the problem, it was going to take everyone doing their part to make communities safe: social service agencies needed to start creating neighborhood-based programming that focused more on alcohol and drug abuse prevention activities and netted results, residents needed to play a more active role in crime prevention programs and activities, law enforcement agencies needed to implement programs and tactics that yielded better crime reduction results and, most importantly, the illegal drug users and distributors had to be held personally accountable for their respective actions.

The general public was growing weary of the chaos and havoc being reaped on their respective communities that was primarily being caused by low-level street dealers and illegal drug users.  Then, the unexpected happened. Crack-cocaine escaped out of the hood into the suburbs. The powerful effects of the drug crack-cocaine enabled the drug to cross social and class lines.

The popular common belief that " the problem of alcohol and drug abuse was a "poor people problem" was shattered with massive doses of reality.  Another reality that emerged was that the primary factor driving alcohol and drug abuse in America was these substances were primarily being used for recreational purposes with middle-class and upper-class citizens the primary offenders.  These new public awareness realities started to mandate that the so-called "War On Drugs" take on a whole new perspective. Suburban communities unlike urban communities, were not going to tolerate a heavy law enforcement presence in their communities.  The common urban law enforcement approach of a cop on every block was unacceptable and too expensive.

The law enforcement community was now being forced to do something  that it had resisted for decades, and to some extent, continue to resist, that is, create meaningful anti-crime programs and partnerships with private citizens. Thus was created and now, on a national basis is being perpetuated, the concept and implementation of "community policing" programs. To date there is no specific generally accepted or used meaning of the term "community policing" with the exception of the concept generally being accepted as to mean "law enforcement agencies being more responsive to citizen complaints and concerns" and creating crime-fighting programs that specifically address these concerns.

Surveillance Photo taken by Benchmark Investigative Services, During Kenneth French Investigation

This story is about the "Drug War" in the City of Columbus, the untimely and unwarranted death of Kenneth W. French, and a citizen's anti-crime movement that ultimately resulted in the City of Columbus, Ohio having some of the most effective anti-crime programs and urban revitalization efforts in America.

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge and thank my friends and allies Mark Goodeman, Grace Mullins, Mark B. Levy (Founder of Benchmark Investigative Services and former civil rights activist), Gary McCants, Dawn White and John Gregory, who, along with myself, had a shared vision of creating a citizen's anti-crime organization and movement that would not only make the City of Columbus one of the safest cities in America but, also lead the way for other communities to do the same.

Our respective paths have parted but the vision has materialized and the presence of their collective community spirit is still with the Civilian Criminal Activity Task Force (C.C.A.T.F.). The C.C.A.T.F. has become one of  the most advanced and effective citizen-based anti-crime organization in America.   Again, thanks to the individual and collective efforts of all of  you.

INTRODUCTION

A NEIGHBORHOOD UNDER SIEGE

1998, a army of street drug dealers setup operations on the Near East side of Columbus. The Near East Area of Columbus is officially designated as a area that has it's boundaries set on the North, by Conrail railroad tracks, on the South, by I-70, on the West, by Parsons Avenue, and on the East, by Alum Creek. The Near East Area is also a heartbeat away from downtown Columbus.

To make matters worse, because this particular area of  the City is central to I-71, I-70, and I-670, a person, relatively easily, could, traveling from the Near East Area, in about 15 minutes, travel to almost anywhere in Franklin County. The majority of the Near East side's residents were Black, and 51 percent of  the area's residents were renters. The street drug dealers assumed that they had made a wise and informed decision when they targeted the Near East side of Columbus as their initial base of operations. The street dealers were mostly Colombians and Jamaicans that operated in groups that came to be commonly known or called  "posses".

The street dealers successful infiltration of  the Near East side of Columbus   was rooted in the posse's informal agreement that enabled the rival  street gangs to cooperate with each other,  initially establishing a understanding that there was to be no fighting over territory.  This arrangement established that whoever had product (crack-cocaine) controlled the streets and whoever ran out of product had to leave the area with the Colombian Posses being designated as the masters of the territory.

Surveillance Photo taken by Benchmark Investigative Services, During Kenneth French Investigation

The posses turned ordinary street punks into disciplined street soldiers who could stand on post (street corners, store fronts, etc.) 15 to 20 hours  at a time, 7 days a week, rain, snow or sun shine. The posses recruited lookouts. The posses also setup legitimate businesses mostly tied to the operation or ownership of  real estate. The posses also paid resident's rent for them, and most of all, the posses put money in the pockets of the chronically unemployed. The end results of the posse's efforts were that, by the Summer of 1989, the Near East side was overrun over by street dealers, the entire block of a neighborhood at a time. The street dealers were bold, aggressive and extremely violent. The Columbus Division of  Police would execute drug raid after drug raid yet, the street dealers got stronger and stronger.

Cornell McCleary, a private investigator, security consultant, and the Vice President of the Columbus Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) publicly urged the police to back off of their drug raids and study the habits and patterns of the street dealers.  His public appeals were ignored by the police, and problems being caused by street dealers continued to increase.

McCleary's specific concern was that at the time, the street drug dealers were clearly operating out in the open which made them easy targets.  Logic dictated that if the police continued their ineffective drug raids, McCleary was concern that the street dealers would then start hiding,  and  start operating out of  housing units which would also logically make attacking the street dealers even harder . By the Summer of 1989, McCleary's concern materialized a new street term was introduced to the resident's of of the Near East side, "Crack House".

In 1989, McCleary's term in office with both the Ohio NAACP and the Columbus Chapter of    the NAACP were over. McCleary then remained involved with community issues and concerns by becoming a Near East Area Commissioner (NEAC), and Deputy Director of NEAC's Human Resources Committee.

Area Commissions are official City of Columbus quasi-government organizations that are community-based, and make official recommendations to City public officials and agencies primarily, in the areas of neighborhood planning, health & safety, zoning matters and development. NEAC's Human Resources Committee primarily dealt with and was responsible for addressing issues and concerns relating to community health and safety issues that impacted the Near East Area.

McCleary's specific commission district included a large segment of the area located within the Near East Area known as Olde Town East. The Olde Town East area had a   civic association, Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association (OTENA), that also had a firmly established block watch program that was extremely active and extremely aggressive. The head of OTENA's block watch program was Mark Goodeman.  Goodeman and OTENA would ultimately prove to be the street dealers worse nightmare.

As stated before, the street dealers thought it was a great decision to setup operations on the Near East side. At the time, and even to this day, the Near East side is one of  Columbus' most politically organized and politically influential communities in the City. At a official meeting of  NEAC, the former Chairman of  NEAC, William "Pablo" Davis, specifically charged the Human Resources Committee Chaired by NEAC Commissioner Grace Mullins, to take-out the street drug dealers. McCleary, Deputy Director of the Human Resources Committee, because of  his professional expertise, was appointed as NEAC's Official Community Liaison that was to be the communications bridge between the law enforcement community, NEAC and the general community.

In short order, NEAC and OTENA mobilized Near East side residents to move against the street dealers.  NEAC and OTENA organized and executed the first community based anti-crime movement in America that specifically moved against street dealers head-on.   In the Fall of 1989, over 150 residents marched and rallied at the Statehouse. Their battle cry "Down With Crack. We want our neighborhood back" was heard across this nation, and more importantly, Downtown Columbus.

The March to the Statehouse moved former Columbus Mayor, Dana "Buck" G. Rinehart to mobilize the entire City by staging a historical event whereby the five Columbus television stations  (WBNS-10 TV, WCMH-TV 4, WSYX-TV 6, WTTE-TV 28, and WOSU-TV 34) and the Columbus Dispatch joined forces to broadcast a commercial-free two hour anti-drug special, "Our Place, Our Problem -Drugs in the Heart of it All."  McCleary, representing NEAC, was a panelist in the broadcast that originated from the studios of the COM III production and video -conference center located at 1201 Olentangy River Road.

On Wednesday, March 7, 1990, Columbus, Ohio was united, for a moment, in spirit and objective.  Events were unfolding at the time that ultimately would result in this moment of community unity being tossed into ash heap of  history.  Columbus was about to get a new Chief of  Police (James Garfield Jackson) and with his arrival, a retreat from the robust and viable relationship that in place, and existed between the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, the Columbus Division of  Police, NEAC and the community in general.

 BATTLE ROYAL

NEAC could not get the cooperation that it needed from the Columbus Division of Police so NEAC's Commissioner McCleary  turned to former Franklin County Sheriff, Earl O. Smith. McCleary pleaded with Sheriff Smith to come into the City.   Sheriff Smith responded to McCleary's official request. In December of 1989, Sheriff  Smith created within the Sheriff's Department a formal drug raid Tactical Entry Team (TET). On March 22, 1990, Sheriff  Smith's TET executed their first ever drug raid, working the outer perimeters of  Columbus then, moving full steam into the inner-city. Sheriff Smith specifically targeted the Colombian Posse who were the stronger of the two major drug dealing posse. Although never given credit,  Sheriff Smith broke the backs of the Colombians.  The collective efforts of  Sheriff Smith and City of Columbus Police Chief, Dwight D. Joseph, brought the City of  Columbus valuable time.  Time that ultimately resulted in Columbus, being a major city, never having a level of  street crime problems that are usual and customary for a city the size of Columbus, Ohio.

Surveillance Photo taken by Benchmark Investigative Services, During Kenneth French Investigation

Sheriff Smith's entry into the City pushed the Columbus Division of Police closer to the community. By the Summer of 1990, the Franklin County Sheriff's Department, Columbus Division of  Police, NEAC and OTENA were all working together. McCleary, served as the primary communications liaison between Sheriff Smith and former Columbus Police Chief Dwight D. Joseph, and the community.

Mark Goodeman, OTENA's Block Watch Coordinator had created a primitive but effective computerized suspect prostitution and street dealer tracking system that utilized suspect criminal activity information being collected based upon residents observations of suspect illegal activities occurring near their residents.

Up until that time, the law enforcement community was  extremely dependent, almost entirely, on informant who, for intents and purposes were suspect drug dealers and criminals themselves. McCleary, as a security consultant and private investigator, created and implemented an extremely effective and  confidential citizen information network. The basis of  the  information network was that, where the information came from was not as important as that the information flowing through the network was in fact reliable and accurate.  Information passed through the network was then verified by private investigators, after being verified, was  then passed on to the law enforcement community, on a "Silver Platter".

By Winter of 1990, the Colombian and Jamaican Posses were pushed out of the Near East side.   Not a single street in NEAC's area were any longer taken over by   street dealers. Sheriff  Smith and Chief  Joseph's collective efforts, and meaningful cooperation with the community had accomplished what no other law enforcement agency or program at that time, in America, had accomplished.    They, Chief  Joseph and Sheriff Smith, collectively,  had reclaimed a  urban community that had been completely  taken over by street dealers.   And, they did it with no law enforcement or civilian casualties.

The reader might wonder what does all of this have to do with Kenneth French?  The answer is everything. Prior to NEAC launching it's all-out attack against the street dealers, a massive attempt was made on the part of  NEAC to get all of Columbus' area commissions and civic associations to join NEAC in it's battle against the street dealers if, for no other reason, to become educated, first-hand, about the problem, and how to attack it. NEAC's primary concern as well as the law enforcement community, that when NEAC and the law enforcement community turned of the heat on the street dealers operating on the Near East side, the street dealers would  then move to, and setup operations in other areas of the City.  The City's other area commissions and civic associations, after repeated request to do so, would not respond to NEAC's open and very public request for joint cooperation.  In furtherance of  fostering  joint anti-crime efforts and programs, and citywide cooperation that resulted in NEAC's informal establishment of the Civilian Criminal Activity Task Force (C.C.A.T.F.).

When the heat turned up, street dealer's  retreated from NEAC's territory and their (street dealers) illegal drug trading quickly spread to other areas of  City.   Area's known as Driving Park, South Linden, Southfield, the University Area, the Hilltop, Short North Area and North Linden, Kenneth French's neighborhood.

THE UNIFIED BATTLE ENDS, AND A SOLDIER FALLS

With the Colombian and Jamaican Posses now on the run, drug dealing gangs operating out of the Great Lakes area,as well as, Chicago, Michigan, Indiana (G.I. Boys from Gary, Indiana) and West Virginia, move into and setup shop in Columbus.  The Colombians, for the most part, moved on, but the Jamaican Posse formed alliances with the other street gangs. In short order, unorganized parts of  the City readily and quickly, became overrun with street drug dealers. Dwight Joseph retired as Chief of Police before he could complete his visionary plans of modernizing  the Columbus Division of Police through automation. Police. James G. Jackson, his successor, and a isolationist, had a totally different perspective regarding crime-fighting.  Chief  Jackson wanted a cop on every corner.

Chief Jackson's consistent public responses to citizens concerns equated to the Division needing more officer, more money, more cars, more everything. Chief Jackson's version of citizen's participation in anti-crime activities was anti-drug marches and rallies, block watch programs, citizens marching around with white hats, flash lights, C.B. radios and calling the police if you see something.  If  the police did not arrive fast of often enough it proved what Chief  Jackson's point was, he needed more cars, more cops, more everything.

Under Chief Jackson's leadership the Columbus Division of police shifted back to depending primarily on informants and undercover officer's drug buys to arrest street dealers. Under Chief Jackson's leadership the City started experiencing illegal drug sale related drive-by shooting, as well as, a massive influx of teenagers entering into the illegal drug trade. Under the leadership of Chief Jackson, the past joint cooperation effort involving of the Columbus Division of Police, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and private citizens, for all intents and purposes, was Dead On Arrival (Jackson's arrival).

In August of 1990, drug dealers operating in Toledo, Ohio firebombed a family that was fighting the drug dealers in their inner-city neighborhood. The family narrowly escaped injury. Firefighters were called to the house after someone threw a bottle with flammable liquid against a window. The bottle bounced off the window, exploding in flames on the front porch. The blaze was contained from spreading to the rest of the house. These drug dealers had ties to drug dealers operating in Columbus. How did we know? The CCATF's tracking system included suspect auto tags from Lucas County.

On the Morning of July 23, 1991, Cornell McCleary, Chairman / CEO of Benchmark Investigative Services read a news article in the Columbus Dispatch indicating that "Arson lab test showed that someone splashed a flammable liquid into the home and bedroom of Kenneth French, 39, and lighted it July 7, resulting in French's death and injuries to his common-law wife, a Columbus firefighter said yesterday". The article further stated that "Columbus police said yesterday they have no suspects in the case but detectives know about previous acts of vandalism at the French home, 1044 Loretta Ave., including a drive-by shooting May 25 in which French's son was shot in the neck and leg. Several more bullets crashed through the house. Police were called to the house again June 29 when someone shot out the living room window. An obituary French's family submitted for publication said that he died because he was an anti-drug activist in his neighborhood, but police said they have no motive for the shooting", the article stated

After reading the article McCleary was furious. He immediately telephoned Sheriff Smith and advised Smith that Benchmark was going to investigate the matter Pro Bono (for the good of the community), and that something had to be done or every community activist going against the street dealers would now be in danger. Sheriff Smith agreed with McCleary's observations and Sheriff Smith launched his own investigation.

McCleary and other investigators from Benchmark went door-to-door talking to residents. Suspect street dealers were lined up all over the street.  Three primary suspects had a habit of sitting on their porch and directing the actions of other suspect street dealers.  Benchmark's investigators openly engaged in surveillance of  the suspect street dealers activities.   Benchmark's investigators openly armed with 9mm and camcorders, harassed the suspect street dealers to interfere with the street dealer's ability to sell their illegal products.  The suspect street dealers did not like what Benchmark's investigators were doing very much, nor did the street dealers know what to do about it.  As a result and indication of the street dealer's frustration with Benchmark's investigators, investigators ended up with very interesting surveillance photographs.

After about a two week of surveillance, interviewing neighbors and harassing the suspect street dealers, Benchmark's investigation was leading to two primary suspects who liked to sit on the porch (brothers), and another primary suspect who witnesses indicated to Benchmark's investigators was engaged in selling illegal drugs out of a house that was located at 1051 Republic Avenue, which was also located on the street next to Loretta Avenue (the street where French lived). The address 1051 Republic Avenue is also located almost directly behind Kenneth French's residence.

Benchmark's investigation was uncovering a major illegal drug sale operation in the targeted area near and around Kenneth French's place of residence.  And, based upon the facts,  all indications were that suspect street dealers were operating in the area for a long  period of time, and the  Columbus Division of  Police were aware that the illegal street drug sale activity was taking place. In fact, one of   the residents interviewed by Benchmark's investigators had a relative who was a Columbus Division of  Police officer.

Benchmark turned all the information and leads that it had developed over to the Franklin County Sheriff Office, who ultimately, did execute several drug raids in the area that resulted in that particular area being cleaned it up. On August 15, 1991, about two weeks after Benchmark turned up the heat on the suspect drug dealers, and after having traced the potential suspect involved in Kenneth French's death to 1051 Republic Avenue, Omanoff Moreau, 29, was shot with a handgun about 1:30 a.m. by someone allegedly who burst into the house, called Moreau by name, and shoot him. Witnesses told police that Moreau was sitting on a sofa when he was shot. Benchmark's investigation concluded that Moreau was a likely suspect in French's murder, the person who may have actually threw the firebomb into French's house. Benchmark's  investigation further indicated that the   street drug dealers killed Moreau to turn off the heat. Neighbors specifically stated to the police officers during Moreau's homicide investigation that "It is not unusual to see people smoking crack or dealing drugs in the alley that separates the houses where Moreau and French were killed".  The Columbus Division of Police's official public statement that they have "No motive for Kenneth French's death"   flies in the face of all reality and the know facts.

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