November 3, 2025 • 21 mins
Willie talks with Iris Roley of the Collaborative about her role in city politics, and how she respond to the attacks on her by some around the government.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
By Billy Cunningham, The Great America and talk about the Bengals.
Later on we had Moe coming up. Plus FC was
a complete disaster, as was you see Bearcatcher's problems everywhere.
But in the studio with me right now is Iris,
Rolie and Iris Welcome to the Bill Cunningham Show. I
think for the first time, is that correct?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
That is absolutely correct.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Well, let's talk about what happened last night in Cincinnati.
And on Sunday we had something the range of I
don't know, seven or eight people were shot, one was murdered.
According to most of the accounts, the city is ripe
with violence of one type or another. And as the
collaborator describe to the American people, what your role is with
the city at this point?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
So Willie, what my role is with the city currently
is what my role has been almost for twenty five years,
prior to me signing a contract to be consultant to
the city manager on you on the work of policing
public safety, to work through the collaborative. So for twenty
two years, I just want to say to you and
your listeners, I dedicated myself. My husband allowed me to
(01:06):
My husband of thirty one years has allowed me to
give them myself freely to the work of the Collaborative Agreement,
so that meant no pay. We had no budget, we
had no staff, we had nothing. And this was from
the community's lins. This is from the Black United Front lines,
the people who came together collective lands that we're going
to sue the city, the FOP in this police alleging
racial profile. And now, mister Cunningham, I know folks get
(01:27):
all up in their panties about well, what does that
mean she's anti police? You're absolutely incorrect. Iris Rowley has
done work greater than most people in the city, and
I'm grateful to my spouse and to the Black United
Front and everybody who's put work into the hands of
the Collaborative Agreement, including the police.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Let's talk about the police, because as a collaborator of sorts,
you have to work with different groups. One most important
groups is the police. Correct.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I had Ken Cobra on the head of the union
about a month ago on Friday, Ken, and he said
that they have no confidence in you. They said that
you involved yourself wrongfully, possibly criminally in arrest. They had
video of you interfering with the police. Arrest and they
have no confidence in you. So if one of the
main parties of the collaborative is the police, and the
(02:15):
police don't want to collaborate with you.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
A problem. Yeah, that is a problem. So listen, So Willie,
I got into this in a very hostile rep way, right.
So we were at the cusp of fifteen unarmed black
men being killed at the hands of the police. The
city had gone through civil unrest, major corporations, people didn't
want to come. We were asking people to boycott downtown Cincinnati,
and we downtown tourism and we were effective, and the
whole world saw the Cincinnati was having issues with the
(02:39):
black community and the police. That's what we rolle into
federal court. With thirty years of problematic policing. Now in
the past twenty five years, if you got one incident
that you're upset with, Iris wrote it about, I say,
she gets an A plus.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I have there several incidents.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
No, no, no, I've seen three or four videos. No,
so don't do that. You saw two videos, and you
saw two videos. One on a set which I was
called downtown to help a family who's sixteen year old
was killed by a fourteen year old so I get up.
Because I work all the time, I don't know when
IRIS really gets off. So I'm gonna ask your listeners
to tell me that because I go from consultant to
(03:13):
just advocacy and doing what people want all the time. Right,
that's not fair. However, so when I get a call
from one of my guys that works on Government Square,
and by the way, they've been doing phenomenal work, call
me and say, can you help the family? They don't
know where the body is. They don't know this, they
don't know that. Get up out of my bed, meet them.
At eight thirty in the morning, I stand on Main
Street for five hours outside of the building with his
(03:35):
baby was murdered, right, did not even know that helping
the family to identify where the body was. And that's
nobody's business but mine. I elected to do that as
the great person I am, as Jesse's wife and his mom,
and as a community caregiver. This is who I am
and this is who I have been. So I go there.
I help the family. We stand outside, Willie outside for
(03:56):
five hours. So I stand outside, find the baby, find
the funeral home, find out these things, go around the
corner to get something to eat because I'm hungry. I'm
noticing all these folks walking around with cups. They have alcohol,
and I'm a contributor. I am a tax payer, and
I pay attention to my town. So folk want to
be mad because I pay attention to Cincinnati. Well be mad.
I have at it. But I'm noticing a lot of
folk walking around with beer and wine and cups. I mean,
(04:18):
is this this is not a door? What's happening? So
we leave there now? Remember I spend five hours go
get an Ampanada so I can go home now to
contend to my business. I see right where I'm about
to move into because I go live on Green and Republic.
Try to live down there for thirty days so I
can do some problem solving. But we'll get back to that,
because that's still part of the destroyer. I'm going to
get there. To you, attorney, no, no, no, I sound
(04:42):
like a taxpayer. I sound like a person who's not
whose voice hasn't been heard so that you can hear
the goodness and you can stop trying to find the
bad and the and the goodness.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Now, let me say the police don't want to collaborate
with you.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
That's that's not all the police. It was seven people,
ten people. So so one of the things that I
have for you, Misster Cunningham, because always told you we're
gonna try to get me, is I literally just got
back with now in some chief hand.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
I'm not getting. I'm reporting facts to you.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
I don't know if it's facts, because I don't I
don't talk to about collaborate. I talked to Can Cobra
and he's not said that to me. My husband talked
to King Cobra. He's not said they did. Now I've
read it in the newspaper. But they have no choice.
You said that the police are the main character. They're not.
The community is the number one the number one stakeholder
in the collaborative.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Agreement is the community community, the black community, Cincinnati's majority
white city.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, but the majority white city wasn't having fitting fitting
on white men killed at the hands.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
They were all justified.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
No, they were not.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Which one wasn't other than Steven Roach.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
And and and and in our in our community, that's
what we were told. They were justified because there were
no investigations. Mister Cunningham, and I see where you want
to go, but I'm gonna keep moving us forward because
that's what Cincinnati is and that's what the Collaborative has.
A Sure we helped Cincinnati do move forward. Had we
not built in the framework of say and problem solving
(06:05):
to address public safety and policing issues, we wouldn't have
all the development. You wouldn't have a downtown that you
see is vibrant. The Collaborative helped rebuild Cincinnati. And you know,
I don't know if you know this, mister cunnyh but
the police and I have traveled the country together to
talk about it. So when you say police, whom are
you talking about? I just got back from Madison, Wisconsin.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
You should The FOP said they won't collaborate with you,
and you're wrong.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Well, who's FOP? I mean there are many there are
many members. Well, there are many members, and you don't
have to meet the police to be an FOP.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Surely when that happened, there was some The mayor came
on some of the media and said that they're going
to meet with you and they're going to identify problems
when you interfere with an arrest and hopefully that'll get better.
Did you meet with the mayor about your involvement and
the arrest of a person that you seem to interfere with.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Did you get But your facts are wrong. No one
was arrested. There was a recitable ticket. So that's how
I know you're speaking from me ill because your facts
are not wrong.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Conference, they're going to get with you and counsel you
and help you to understand. Did you ever speak to
the mayor on that issue?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I'm spoken to the mayor about many issues.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Did he talk about that issue? Did he change your behavior?
Did her behavior?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I don't think so, mister. No, No, I don't think so.
And here's what I didn't do, because if I broke
the law, I expect to be arrested, but they did
not because they just want to take a.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Problem.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Well, mister Cunningham, let me tell you what happened. The
way younger than I'm gonna call you, mister Cunningham, but
I'm old enough to be respected. And so here's the deal.
If I broke the law, I would expect for any
officer that I've talked to, and I've talked to way
more cops than you have. I've talked to way more
cops than most of the people that you bring in
your studio. You know why I can say that, mister Cunham,
(07:51):
because I talked to every recruit class. I have done
that since the year of two thousand and eight. Now
here's where I think people get their panties in a bunch.
And forgive me for my colorful language, because I'm very colified.
I don't know, so I don't know. I don't know so, so,
mister Gunnaham, here's what I will say to you again
(08:13):
in twenty five years if that is the issue that
you have. And I've not killed anyone, I'm not to meet.
I'm not. I'm not. But if the police say that
they because the officer officer heard who I spoke to
was the same officer twice, female copt the same officer twice.
And I'm not going to tell you the story because
I don't think you're interested in facts. Y'all want a gaslight.
But that's cool too, because you can do that. I
(08:34):
report the facts, but the facts were it was a
recitable ticket.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Did the mayor ever talk to you and say, Irish,
kind of calm down a little bit, don't interfere with
an arrested and Mary tell you.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
That the mayor after a peer of all which we
should re elect, has always been concerned with my well
being and has always been answer the question, but has
always been policed. I am I'm answering the way that
I think that you deserve an.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Answer yes or no. Did the police did? Then?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I've talked to the mayor about many things, Miss Ham.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Okay not on another issue, the issue of the collaborative.
Do you think after twenty five years, there's many dozens
of police agencies in the Tri State, dozens of police agencies.
Since Tide Police is one of many police agencies, only
one has a collaborative. Do you think the police in
Cincinnati have racial tendencies of such a quality that the
(09:23):
collaborative needs to be an effect when all the other
police agencies in the Tri State don't. What's unique about
Cincinnati police? Who've had black police chiefs, black captains, et cetera,
black mayors, Black.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Cities have one black captain right now well in the past.
So we have issues diversity diversity. Yes, we still have
issues of competency that we have. We have issues of
diversity as respect to who is in our police division period.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
The question is what is unique about CPD that all
the other police agencies don't need someone like you to
implement the collaborative. Are they different than all the other
agencies in Ambulenty County.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
I think that they're not courageous enough. One I've been sued,
so we sued CPD in federal court, so you have
to do the mandate of the federal court. And what
I do appreciate about what's unique about CPD is all
of this training and all of this work and understanding
around who the people are that they do police. I
think they're extremely unique. I've been trained by the best,
and that's what I said to King Kober the day
(10:18):
of what you're talking about. When you said, I interrupted,
I'm trained by CPD, so I know how to I
know how to read you, I know how to read
your body language, and I know how to read someone
standing by you. There was no threat of violence. I've
been trained by CPD very well. So I saw that
and it was it was.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
A question or SINTI police still racist?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
If you look at the data that comes from our
citizens Complain Authority, seventy percent of our complaints are by
African Americans. I'll let your finishship answer the question. They
may not be racist. I don't know what they are.
I don't so they may be policing differently in one
way than they are in this way. And this is
the beauty of the collaborative. This is a job that
taxpayers pay for. I pay taxes, mister Cunningham. I'm looking
(10:59):
for reciprocity on my tax dollar, not only investment into
the community. But I'm looking at reciprocity. And not only that,
mister Cunningham, I'm looking at how I can fit into
this and help what the collaborative has done for the
city of Cincinnati. Dear sir, if you're looking for facts,
it has reduced injuries to officers, lawsuits, injuries to citizens.
So yes, it's unique. Yes, it's still needs. Yes we
(11:21):
still have a long way.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Not Hamlety County Sheriff's office, Green Town, not Sycamore Township,
only Cincinnati Police.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
All of them, all of them.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
So well you're that.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
You're no, sir, not But you're the attorney. So can
you legally sue multiple agencies at one time? No, you can't.
I'll answer you. We were only we could only sue
in Cincinnati. But what I will say to you, dear sir,
mister Cunningham. Is that all of the ones that you
just said out of your mouth they need help. And
guess what they borrow from BAM the collaborative agreement.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Tracy Hunter, see Hunter, Judge Hunter, Judge Hunter, and speak
for herself. She'd be for herself. So she you went
out and picket at the home of my good friend,
Judge Patrick dink Locker to protest a sentence that he
imposed on Tracy Hunter.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Protests a sentence and protest the injustice and protest him
having no drug out of court. Yes, I did, all right.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yes, she was convicted by a multi racial jury of
one count of felony. She went through the entire appeal
process for years and dink A Lockers is still in
court right now. Wasn't the trial judge. It was Natal
who left the bench. And then you took it upon
yourself to picket someone's home for following their legal duty
to give her a sentence, which, by the way.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
And that's what make Dan Heels upset and said I
shouldn't be collaborating. So since the exception, well, extremely when
Pat dink A Locker issues justice fairly in our in
our hour and so and listen and listen. This is
the greatest point of democracy that you can disagree. And
we did no damage to his home. We didn't dox him,
We didn't put his address out in the universe and say, go, hey,
(13:00):
threaten his wife and kids are grandkids. I'm like folks
that listen to seven hundred. Wow, that has happened to
me since all of this stuff, all this vituol and
discord has come about a collaborative agreement in Iris Rowly.
So yes, sir, I did utilize one tool in this
civil rights handbook too.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Are you set away? No?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Why would I be.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Sorry because it was wrongful? No? Why is it because
the judge simply did his or her job In this
case it was a man and we simply disagree, disagreed. Yeah. Also,
when it comes down to what happened on July twenty sixth,
did you meet with the victims of the beatdown on
July twenty sixth, the so called wife victims and talk
to them about what happened to them?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
No, Sarah did not.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (13:40):
They didn't call me?
Speaker 1 (13:42):
What do you have to only you respond to circumstances.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
People call my phone all the time, mister Gunaham. People
call my phone and they want help. They didn't call me.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
The three CDC put out a video about a week
ago which clearly demonstrated that the future criminal defendant started
this thing with Alex t as I call it, and
he was hit first. Yet the city leader stood up
about a week later and demanded criminal charges against a
person because of the color of their skin. Happened to
be white white person.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Charge, No, sir, don't do that. Don't do that. I'm
just saying what I don't do that. Don't do that.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Don't you want?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
No, No, don't don't don't make it, don't make it.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
BA want based on race? A person would.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Charge because all of the African Americans were charged, and
then they were charged with additional charges from the class.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Case the other ones who committed criminal actions.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
But here's what I will tell you. I spoke to
Interim police Chief Handy on Friday.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
And do you think should have been put on administrative leave?
I don't.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
That's that's above mine. No, I can't say yes or
no that.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
I'm not saying, have you told police that she should
not have been put on leaves?
Speaker 2 (14:44):
I would not say that. I would not interfere in
the question about absolutely about the civil rights leader standing
up and demanding a person to be charged of the
crime based upon race based is that based on equity
and fairness, based on the application, based on the application
of the law. But let me say the fact is
I spoke to Interim Chief Heney on Friday because I
couldn't remember if this is a video that I knew
(15:07):
that they had seen or that I had seen, because
there were so many videos out there right there are
tons of them. There was tons of them. So when
I spoke to Interim Chief Heney, I said, just because
the questions are coming to me. He said, Irish, we
saw that video. That's the video that the city solicitors
saw that. Then the charges were made against.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Who was hit first.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
I think once you stopped. I think once you stop
and start. I think once you stop and start. But
that will be a question for the city solicitor and
the city manager and the police entrant police.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
This is principle.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
If if you do know the interim police chief did
sign that.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
And the line officers would not sign it because it
was wrong, and wouldn't sign it because it was wrong.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
I've not heard that. I've not heard that from the
Chief of police. I've not heard her say that at all,
and we talked through that. And as a matter of fact,
here's another fact that you probably don't know. When the
when the community was called forgetting the warrant sign, I
spoke with Chief Theji. She did not know where mister
Jermaine I can't think of his last name was. I
actually did find him because he was in the Justice Center.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
That principle, if civil rights leaders and civil authority stand
up and demand a person be charged because of the
color of their skin.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
That's not what we demanded it.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
As a matter of principle, isn't that wrong.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
That what you're saying is incorrect. So if you listen
to more over the black community and some non black people,
and as some non black people thought, well, and we disagree,
I'm even great.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Should a person be charged because of the color of
their skin?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
No, they should be charged based on facts.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Why didn't happen in this case?
Speaker 2 (16:48):
It did happen. They were charged based on facts because
he slapped a man.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
But he slapped a man after he was punched twice
in the back of the head first.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
But when you look at the video, mister Kunny Hammond,
I know there are too. There are two worlds. They're
too worlds. There's a nod, there's a privileged world, and
then there's.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
The privilege thousand bucks a year an goodness.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
No, I'm not sorry, No, I'm not sir. I feed children,
I take care of children, and I help my community.
There is not enough to pay Iris really for the
goodness that she's done in the city. And you don't
have to say thank you while we're on the air.
I'll wait until well off.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
As far as continuing, should we continue with the mayor?
Is the mayor autel long as the city manager? Yes,
you in charge of the collaborative.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
I'm not in charge of the collaborative. I just worked
the communities and worked that.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
But you're paid right by tax dollars. I am paid
s with the same mayor, the same city manager, you
and others involved of criminal justice. And is this the
future of Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Mister Cunningham, I would, I would venture to say, I
think you've called some more discord in this process in
twenty five years that Iris rowly has. You've not even
heard from Irish. Well you would, but you've not even
me finished. Won't let me you most certainly doing you
get to espouse it all day, every day. But this
is the first time you've heard Iris Roly name in years.
(18:05):
Outside of all the great work at the transit site,
this is the first time you've heard anything negative. So again, sir,
I would challenge you. Yes, you will be I've been
there since February twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
You know it's my good friend.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
I've not had any issues.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
It's my good friend, Charlie Kirk said before he was
murdered in cold blood. When the talking stops is when
the violence begins. I say, let's keep talking. That's what
we've been doing without accusations.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
That's what we've been doing. That's what we've been doing.
That's what I've been doing.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
When you come on again in a month or you
got the you I'm.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Married to that guy right there. You crazy. I will
be back. I'm a member of the Since Name Black
and Underfront. But listen, this is what I have for you,
mister Cunningham. This is the full collaborative agreement.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
I want you to read it. I cant you can
have I got this right. You're a diploma right now.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
You can't have my diploma. That's my participatory Read it though,
I want you to read it to the people so
they'll know.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Center for Problem Oriented Policing presents the Herman Goldstein Award
and Recognition of Excellence and Problem Oriented Policing to Missus, Iris,
Rowley Society, Black United Front.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
There you go. So and I was with intem cheap
chief Henny with assistant.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Did he see the tape ahead of time when he signed.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
The falseho You should get him in here and talk
to him.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Why don't you ask the mayor and Hanny to come
in here that I've asked him, They won't come on.
They we got the guts to show up. I'll give
you credit for that, but.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
You don't make it. You don't make it warm and fuzzy.
You don't make me fish to come with security.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
You got two big men that.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
It comes to.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Arm wrestled those security to this. Will you come back
in a month or two?
Speaker 2 (19:46):
But let me say I have all the guts. You
know what I typically say to people, My balls are
beginning us. But my husband told me stop saying that.
So listen, are you transgender?
Speaker 1 (19:54):
No?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I'm not. No, I'm not some are you? You sound
like it? Though? This is you got your Monday's on
to day with this Monday. But listen Tuesday that you
should have had on Sunday the way the Bengals play.
But but that's a whole other story.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Why don't you come on again? If you got the guns,
Irish Rowley, will you come on and do it and
come down to the transit center.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
When are you coming? When are you coming?
Speaker 1 (20:18):
My people will be in touch. Will you guarantee my security?
Speaker 2 (20:21):
My secure? I got you, I got you guys looking
talk to him. But mister help. The other piece that
I have for you is this is Actrocincy.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
This is what all this to give me homework.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
You better read it too.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
I will be I know who you learned from? Games
and games?
Speaker 2 (20:38):
So who was his? Who was his college roommate? Uh?
Was that you?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Judge? Robert Franklin was a roommate of mL King of
nineteen forty eight more houses?
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Do you question in my civil rights activity?
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Merit? I don't believe in the.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Well you die? Well, why in the world when we're
gonna break that up, let's break it up with time.
So tell them to stop f and when iris really
we're doing better? Got you?
Speaker 1 (21:09):
You got me yours? Thank you? We have to think
God Bless America.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
God Bless America.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Seven hundred W l W
By Billy Cunningham, The Great America and talk about the Bengals.
Later on we had Moe coming up. Plus FC was
a complete disaster, as was you see Bearcatcher's problems everywhere.
But in the studio with me right now is Iris,
Rolie and Iris Welcome to the Bill Cunningham Show. I
think for the first time, is that correct?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
That is absolutely correct.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Well, let's talk about what happened last night in Cincinnati.
And on Sunday we had something the range of I
don't know, seven or eight people were shot, one was murdered.
According to most of the accounts, the city is ripe
with violence of one type or another. And as the
collaborator describe to the American people, what your role is with
the city at this point?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
So Willie, what my role is with the city currently
is what my role has been almost for twenty five years,
prior to me signing a contract to be consultant to
the city manager on you on the work of policing
public safety, to work through the collaborative. So for twenty
two years, I just want to say to you and
your listeners, I dedicated myself. My husband allowed me to
(01:06):
My husband of thirty one years has allowed me to
give them myself freely to the work of the Collaborative Agreement,
so that meant no pay. We had no budget, we
had no staff, we had nothing. And this was from
the community's lins. This is from the Black United Front lines,
the people who came together collective lands that we're going
to sue the city, the FOP in this police alleging
racial profile. And now, mister Cunningham, I know folks get
(01:27):
all up in their panties about well, what does that
mean she's anti police? You're absolutely incorrect. Iris Rowley has
done work greater than most people in the city, and
I'm grateful to my spouse and to the Black United
Front and everybody who's put work into the hands of
the Collaborative Agreement, including the police.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Let's talk about the police, because as a collaborator of sorts,
you have to work with different groups. One most important
groups is the police. Correct.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I had Ken Cobra on the head of the union
about a month ago on Friday, Ken, and he said
that they have no confidence in you. They said that
you involved yourself wrongfully, possibly criminally in arrest. They had
video of you interfering with the police. Arrest and they
have no confidence in you. So if one of the
main parties of the collaborative is the police, and the
(02:15):
police don't want to collaborate with you.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
A problem. Yeah, that is a problem. So listen, So Willie,
I got into this in a very hostile rep way, right.
So we were at the cusp of fifteen unarmed black
men being killed at the hands of the police. The
city had gone through civil unrest, major corporations, people didn't
want to come. We were asking people to boycott downtown Cincinnati,
and we downtown tourism and we were effective, and the
whole world saw the Cincinnati was having issues with the
(02:39):
black community and the police. That's what we rolle into
federal court. With thirty years of problematic policing. Now in
the past twenty five years, if you got one incident
that you're upset with, Iris wrote it about, I say,
she gets an A plus.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I have there several incidents.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
No, no, no, I've seen three or four videos. No,
so don't do that. You saw two videos, and you
saw two videos. One on a set which I was
called downtown to help a family who's sixteen year old
was killed by a fourteen year old so I get up.
Because I work all the time, I don't know when
IRIS really gets off. So I'm gonna ask your listeners
to tell me that because I go from consultant to
(03:13):
just advocacy and doing what people want all the time. Right,
that's not fair. However, so when I get a call
from one of my guys that works on Government Square,
and by the way, they've been doing phenomenal work, call
me and say, can you help the family? They don't
know where the body is. They don't know this, they
don't know that. Get up out of my bed, meet them.
At eight thirty in the morning, I stand on Main
Street for five hours outside of the building with his
(03:35):
baby was murdered, right, did not even know that helping
the family to identify where the body was. And that's
nobody's business but mine. I elected to do that as
the great person I am, as Jesse's wife and his mom,
and as a community caregiver. This is who I am
and this is who I have been. So I go there.
I help the family. We stand outside, Willie outside for
(03:56):
five hours. So I stand outside, find the baby, find
the funeral home, find out these things, go around the
corner to get something to eat because I'm hungry. I'm
noticing all these folks walking around with cups. They have alcohol,
and I'm a contributor. I am a tax payer, and
I pay attention to my town. So folk want to
be mad because I pay attention to Cincinnati. Well be mad.
I have at it. But I'm noticing a lot of
folk walking around with beer and wine and cups. I mean,
(04:18):
is this this is not a door? What's happening? So
we leave there now? Remember I spend five hours go
get an Ampanada so I can go home now to
contend to my business. I see right where I'm about
to move into because I go live on Green and Republic.
Try to live down there for thirty days so I
can do some problem solving. But we'll get back to that,
because that's still part of the destroyer. I'm going to
get there. To you, attorney, no, no, no, I sound
(04:42):
like a taxpayer. I sound like a person who's not
whose voice hasn't been heard so that you can hear
the goodness and you can stop trying to find the
bad and the and the goodness.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Now, let me say the police don't want to collaborate
with you.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
That's that's not all the police. It was seven people,
ten people. So so one of the things that I
have for you, Misster Cunningham, because always told you we're
gonna try to get me, is I literally just got
back with now in some chief hand.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
I'm not getting. I'm reporting facts to you.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
I don't know if it's facts, because I don't I
don't talk to about collaborate. I talked to Can Cobra
and he's not said that to me. My husband talked
to King Cobra. He's not said they did. Now I've
read it in the newspaper. But they have no choice.
You said that the police are the main character. They're not.
The community is the number one the number one stakeholder
in the collaborative.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Agreement is the community community, the black community, Cincinnati's majority
white city.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, but the majority white city wasn't having fitting fitting
on white men killed at the hands.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
They were all justified.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
No, they were not.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Which one wasn't other than Steven Roach.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
And and and and in our in our community, that's
what we were told. They were justified because there were
no investigations. Mister Cunningham, and I see where you want
to go, but I'm gonna keep moving us forward because
that's what Cincinnati is and that's what the Collaborative has.
A Sure we helped Cincinnati do move forward. Had we
not built in the framework of say and problem solving
(06:05):
to address public safety and policing issues, we wouldn't have
all the development. You wouldn't have a downtown that you
see is vibrant. The Collaborative helped rebuild Cincinnati. And you know,
I don't know if you know this, mister cunnyh but
the police and I have traveled the country together to
talk about it. So when you say police, whom are
you talking about? I just got back from Madison, Wisconsin.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
You should The FOP said they won't collaborate with you,
and you're wrong.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Well, who's FOP? I mean there are many there are
many members. Well, there are many members, and you don't
have to meet the police to be an FOP.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Surely when that happened, there was some The mayor came
on some of the media and said that they're going
to meet with you and they're going to identify problems
when you interfere with an arrest and hopefully that'll get better.
Did you meet with the mayor about your involvement and
the arrest of a person that you seem to interfere with.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Did you get But your facts are wrong. No one
was arrested. There was a recitable ticket. So that's how
I know you're speaking from me ill because your facts
are not wrong.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Conference, they're going to get with you and counsel you
and help you to understand. Did you ever speak to
the mayor on that issue?
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I'm spoken to the mayor about many issues.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Did he talk about that issue? Did he change your behavior?
Did her behavior?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I don't think so, mister. No, No, I don't think so.
And here's what I didn't do, because if I broke
the law, I expect to be arrested, but they did
not because they just want to take a.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Problem.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Well, mister Cunningham, let me tell you what happened. The
way younger than I'm gonna call you, mister Cunningham, but
I'm old enough to be respected. And so here's the deal.
If I broke the law, I would expect for any
officer that I've talked to, and I've talked to way
more cops than you have. I've talked to way more
cops than most of the people that you bring in
your studio. You know why I can say that, mister Cunham,
(07:51):
because I talked to every recruit class. I have done
that since the year of two thousand and eight. Now
here's where I think people get their panties in a bunch.
And forgive me for my colorful language, because I'm very colified.
I don't know, so I don't know. I don't know so, so,
mister Gunnaham, here's what I will say to you again
(08:13):
in twenty five years if that is the issue that
you have. And I've not killed anyone, I'm not to meet.
I'm not. I'm not. But if the police say that
they because the officer officer heard who I spoke to
was the same officer twice, female copt the same officer twice.
And I'm not going to tell you the story because
I don't think you're interested in facts. Y'all want a gaslight.
But that's cool too, because you can do that. I
(08:34):
report the facts, but the facts were it was a
recitable ticket.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Did the mayor ever talk to you and say, Irish,
kind of calm down a little bit, don't interfere with
an arrested and Mary tell you.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
That the mayor after a peer of all which we
should re elect, has always been concerned with my well
being and has always been answer the question, but has
always been policed. I am I'm answering the way that
I think that you deserve an.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Answer yes or no. Did the police did? Then?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I've talked to the mayor about many things, Miss Ham.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Okay not on another issue, the issue of the collaborative.
Do you think after twenty five years, there's many dozens
of police agencies in the Tri State, dozens of police agencies.
Since Tide Police is one of many police agencies, only
one has a collaborative. Do you think the police in
Cincinnati have racial tendencies of such a quality that the
(09:23):
collaborative needs to be an effect when all the other
police agencies in the Tri State don't. What's unique about
Cincinnati police? Who've had black police chiefs, black captains, et cetera,
black mayors, Black.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Cities have one black captain right now well in the past.
So we have issues diversity diversity. Yes, we still have
issues of competency that we have. We have issues of
diversity as respect to who is in our police division period.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
The question is what is unique about CPD that all
the other police agencies don't need someone like you to
implement the collaborative. Are they different than all the other
agencies in Ambulenty County.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
I think that they're not courageous enough. One I've been sued,
so we sued CPD in federal court, so you have
to do the mandate of the federal court. And what
I do appreciate about what's unique about CPD is all
of this training and all of this work and understanding
around who the people are that they do police. I
think they're extremely unique. I've been trained by the best,
and that's what I said to King Kober the day
(10:18):
of what you're talking about. When you said, I interrupted,
I'm trained by CPD, so I know how to I
know how to read you, I know how to read
your body language, and I know how to read someone
standing by you. There was no threat of violence. I've
been trained by CPD very well. So I saw that
and it was it was.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
A question or SINTI police still racist?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
If you look at the data that comes from our
citizens Complain Authority, seventy percent of our complaints are by
African Americans. I'll let your finishship answer the question. They
may not be racist. I don't know what they are.
I don't so they may be policing differently in one
way than they are in this way. And this is
the beauty of the collaborative. This is a job that
taxpayers pay for. I pay taxes, mister Cunningham. I'm looking
(10:59):
for reciprocity on my tax dollar, not only investment into
the community. But I'm looking at reciprocity. And not only that,
mister Cunningham, I'm looking at how I can fit into
this and help what the collaborative has done for the
city of Cincinnati. Dear sir, if you're looking for facts,
it has reduced injuries to officers, lawsuits, injuries to citizens.
So yes, it's unique. Yes, it's still needs. Yes we
(11:21):
still have a long way.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Not Hamlety County Sheriff's office, Green Town, not Sycamore Township,
only Cincinnati Police.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
All of them, all of them.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
So well you're that.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
You're no, sir, not But you're the attorney. So can
you legally sue multiple agencies at one time? No, you can't.
I'll answer you. We were only we could only sue
in Cincinnati. But what I will say to you, dear sir,
mister Cunningham. Is that all of the ones that you
just said out of your mouth they need help. And
guess what they borrow from BAM the collaborative agreement.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Tracy Hunter, see Hunter, Judge Hunter, Judge Hunter, and speak
for herself. She'd be for herself. So she you went
out and picket at the home of my good friend,
Judge Patrick dink Locker to protest a sentence that he
imposed on Tracy Hunter.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Protests a sentence and protest the injustice and protest him
having no drug out of court. Yes, I did, all right.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yes, she was convicted by a multi racial jury of
one count of felony. She went through the entire appeal
process for years and dink A Lockers is still in
court right now. Wasn't the trial judge. It was Natal
who left the bench. And then you took it upon
yourself to picket someone's home for following their legal duty
to give her a sentence, which, by the way.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
And that's what make Dan Heels upset and said I
shouldn't be collaborating. So since the exception, well, extremely when
Pat dink A Locker issues justice fairly in our in
our hour and so and listen and listen. This is
the greatest point of democracy that you can disagree. And
we did no damage to his home. We didn't dox him,
We didn't put his address out in the universe and say, go, hey,
(13:00):
threaten his wife and kids are grandkids. I'm like folks
that listen to seven hundred. Wow, that has happened to
me since all of this stuff, all this vituol and
discord has come about a collaborative agreement in Iris Rowly.
So yes, sir, I did utilize one tool in this
civil rights handbook too.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Are you set away? No?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Why would I be.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Sorry because it was wrongful? No? Why is it because
the judge simply did his or her job In this
case it was a man and we simply disagree, disagreed. Yeah. Also,
when it comes down to what happened on July twenty sixth,
did you meet with the victims of the beatdown on
July twenty sixth, the so called wife victims and talk
to them about what happened to them?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
No, Sarah did not.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (13:40):
They didn't call me?
Speaker 1 (13:42):
What do you have to only you respond to circumstances.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
People call my phone all the time, mister Gunaham. People
call my phone and they want help. They didn't call me.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
The three CDC put out a video about a week
ago which clearly demonstrated that the future criminal defendant started
this thing with Alex t as I call it, and
he was hit first. Yet the city leader stood up
about a week later and demanded criminal charges against a
person because of the color of their skin. Happened to
be white white person.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Charge, No, sir, don't do that. Don't do that. I'm
just saying what I don't do that. Don't do that.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Don't you want?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
No, No, don't don't don't make it, don't make it.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
BA want based on race? A person would.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Charge because all of the African Americans were charged, and
then they were charged with additional charges from the class.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Case the other ones who committed criminal actions.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
But here's what I will tell you. I spoke to
Interim police Chief Handy on Friday.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
And do you think should have been put on administrative leave?
I don't.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
That's that's above mine. No, I can't say yes or
no that.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
I'm not saying, have you told police that she should
not have been put on leaves?
Speaker 2 (14:44):
I would not say that. I would not interfere in
the question about absolutely about the civil rights leader standing
up and demanding a person to be charged of the
crime based upon race based is that based on equity
and fairness, based on the application, based on the application
of the law. But let me say the fact is
I spoke to Interim Chief Heney on Friday because I
couldn't remember if this is a video that I knew
(15:07):
that they had seen or that I had seen, because
there were so many videos out there right there are
tons of them. There was tons of them. So when
I spoke to Interim Chief Heney, I said, just because
the questions are coming to me. He said, Irish, we
saw that video. That's the video that the city solicitors
saw that. Then the charges were made against.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Who was hit first.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
I think once you stopped. I think once you stop
and start. I think once you stop and start. But
that will be a question for the city solicitor and
the city manager and the police entrant police.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
This is principle.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
If if you do know the interim police chief did
sign that.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
And the line officers would not sign it because it
was wrong, and wouldn't sign it because it was wrong.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
I've not heard that. I've not heard that from the
Chief of police. I've not heard her say that at all,
and we talked through that. And as a matter of fact,
here's another fact that you probably don't know. When the
when the community was called forgetting the warrant sign, I
spoke with Chief Theji. She did not know where mister
Jermaine I can't think of his last name was. I
actually did find him because he was in the Justice Center.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
That principle, if civil rights leaders and civil authority stand
up and demand a person be charged because of the
color of their skin.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
That's not what we demanded it.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
As a matter of principle, isn't that wrong.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
That what you're saying is incorrect. So if you listen
to more over the black community and some non black people,
and as some non black people thought, well, and we disagree,
I'm even great.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Should a person be charged because of the color of
their skin?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
No, they should be charged based on facts.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Why didn't happen in this case?
Speaker 2 (16:48):
It did happen. They were charged based on facts because
he slapped a man.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
But he slapped a man after he was punched twice
in the back of the head first.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
But when you look at the video, mister Kunny Hammond,
I know there are too. There are two worlds. They're
too worlds. There's a nod, there's a privileged world, and
then there's.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
The privilege thousand bucks a year an goodness.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
No, I'm not sorry, No, I'm not sir. I feed children,
I take care of children, and I help my community.
There is not enough to pay Iris really for the
goodness that she's done in the city. And you don't
have to say thank you while we're on the air.
I'll wait until well off.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
As far as continuing, should we continue with the mayor?
Is the mayor autel long as the city manager? Yes,
you in charge of the collaborative.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
I'm not in charge of the collaborative. I just worked
the communities and worked that.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
But you're paid right by tax dollars. I am paid
s with the same mayor, the same city manager, you
and others involved of criminal justice. And is this the
future of Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Mister Cunningham, I would, I would venture to say, I
think you've called some more discord in this process in
twenty five years that Iris rowly has. You've not even
heard from Irish. Well you would, but you've not even
me finished. Won't let me you most certainly doing you
get to espouse it all day, every day. But this
is the first time you've heard Iris Roly name in years.
(18:05):
Outside of all the great work at the transit site,
this is the first time you've heard anything negative. So again, sir,
I would challenge you. Yes, you will be I've been
there since February twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
You know it's my good friend.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
I've not had any issues.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
It's my good friend, Charlie Kirk said before he was
murdered in cold blood. When the talking stops is when
the violence begins. I say, let's keep talking. That's what
we've been doing without accusations.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
That's what we've been doing. That's what we've been doing.
That's what I've been doing.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
When you come on again in a month or you
got the you I'm.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Married to that guy right there. You crazy. I will
be back. I'm a member of the Since Name Black
and Underfront. But listen, this is what I have for you,
mister Cunningham. This is the full collaborative agreement.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
I want you to read it. I cant you can
have I got this right. You're a diploma right now.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
You can't have my diploma. That's my participatory Read it though,
I want you to read it to the people so
they'll know.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Center for Problem Oriented Policing presents the Herman Goldstein Award
and Recognition of Excellence and Problem Oriented Policing to Missus, Iris,
Rowley Society, Black United Front.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
There you go. So and I was with intem cheap
chief Henny with assistant.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Did he see the tape ahead of time when he signed.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
The falseho You should get him in here and talk
to him.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Why don't you ask the mayor and Hanny to come
in here that I've asked him, They won't come on.
They we got the guts to show up. I'll give
you credit for that, but.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
You don't make it. You don't make it warm and fuzzy.
You don't make me fish to come with security.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
You got two big men that.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
It comes to.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Arm wrestled those security to this. Will you come back
in a month or two?
Speaker 2 (19:46):
But let me say I have all the guts. You
know what I typically say to people, My balls are
beginning us. But my husband told me stop saying that.
So listen, are you transgender?
Speaker 1 (19:54):
No?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I'm not. No, I'm not some are you? You sound
like it? Though? This is you got your Monday's on
to day with this Monday. But listen Tuesday that you
should have had on Sunday the way the Bengals play.
But but that's a whole other story.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Why don't you come on again? If you got the guns,
Irish Rowley, will you come on and do it and
come down to the transit center.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
When are you coming? When are you coming?
Speaker 1 (20:18):
My people will be in touch. Will you guarantee my security?
Speaker 2 (20:21):
My secure? I got you, I got you guys looking
talk to him. But mister help. The other piece that
I have for you is this is Actrocincy.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
This is what all this to give me homework.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
You better read it too.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
I will be I know who you learned from? Games
and games?
Speaker 2 (20:38):
So who was his? Who was his college roommate? Uh?
Was that you?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Judge? Robert Franklin was a roommate of mL King of
nineteen forty eight more houses?
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Do you question in my civil rights activity?
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Merit? I don't believe in the.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Well you die? Well, why in the world when we're
gonna break that up, let's break it up with time.
So tell them to stop f and when iris really
we're doing better? Got you?
Speaker 1 (21:09):
You got me yours? Thank you? We have to think
God Bless America.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
God Bless America.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Seven hundred W l W
Bill Cunningham on 700WLW News
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!