Terminated Columbus police officer files lawsuit against city alleging discrimination

[00:00:00]A former Columbus police officer is suing the city, claiming she was wrongfully fired because she's white. We broke this on TentTV News at 6 today.

[00:00:10]Now, this all started back in January of 2025 when Amber Blackburn was fired from her position as a probationary officer after an offduty incident at a bar in the Short North. Now, according to a personnel file obtained by TentTV at the time, two officers working special duty at that bar say they saw Blackburn in a fight with another woman and they had to use force to remove her from the bar.

[00:00:36]She was accused by CPD of being quote highly intoxicated, belligerent, and dismissive. Now, we've reached out to Columbus police for comment and are waiting to hear back. But at the time they said in part, quote, "The Columbus Division of Police holds our officers to the highest standards and anyone who violates their oath will be held accountable." In Blackburn's lawsuit, she claimed she was assaulted and there was no real investigation from CPD before she was fired. TentTV's Libby Cathy has looked into this lawsuit and spoke to Blackburn's attorney tonight.

[00:01:11]She joins us live from CPD headquarters downtown. Libby.

[00:01:17]Yeah, that's right, Yolanda. The lawsuit alleges Amber Blackburn was fired because of her race and gender and that the department failed to properly investigate and used false information.

[00:01:29]Now, her attorney tells me they're taking the city to court.

[00:01:33]>> But the more we looked at it, it's a clearcut case of discrimination. It's terrible. She was unceremoniously and without cause based on a pack of lies terminated just weeks before her one-year period of um probation was up.

[00:01:48]>> Amber Blackburn's attorney says her termination was based on false reports and a failure to properly investigate, which he alleges was discriminatory.

[00:01:57]They did this ostensibly um and I think demonstrably based on the fact that she's a white woman because we have several other instances in which um other probationary officers similarly situated um were given a free pass for conduct way more egregious.

[00:02:15]>> The attorney claims Blackburn was acting in self-defense during the incident, saying she struck another woman after being punched and harassed. The city of Columbus says it does not comment on pending litigation, but around her termination last year, the assistant chief wrote in an email to Chief Bryant in part, Blackburn's conduct inside the bar and with onduty personnel is not in line with the division's values and expectations. The conduct brings discredit upon the division.

[00:02:44]Surveillance video from inside the bar is also cited in the lawsuit as evidence in the case >> that all one has to do is look at the video to determine exactly what happened or didn't happen.

[00:02:55]>> The lawsuit says two officers at the scene did not have their body cameras turned on. Blackburn is seeking damages, including backpay.

[00:03:06]And we have also reached out to the Fraternal Order of Police for comment on this. Reporting live outside Columbus headquarters, Libby Cathy, 10TV News.