CINCINNATI — Days after the mayor removed him from his position on the Cincinnati Citizen Complaint Authority (CCA), Bill Burwinkel has resigned from the Great Parks Board of Park Commissioners.
In a release, Great Parks said Hamilton County Probate Court Judge Ralph Winkler accepted his resignation, effective June 27. Winkler will now find a replacement to appoint.
The news comes after Burwinkle was removed from the CCA due to the comments he made at a board meeting earlier this month.
During the meeting, CCA board members and a CCA investigator discussed a complaint against two officers for excessive force. While the CCA exonerated the officers on those allegations, they did find that one officer used "improper procedure" when he cursed at a witness.
According to the CCA report, while officers were making an arrest, one told someone in the crowd, "he’s in the middle of being f—king arrested man, f—k.”
While other board members said they felt the language was unnecessary, Burwinkle said he did not and then began listing off several examples of prominent figures using the same word.
"In 2022, Joe Biden said to the mayor of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, 'no one f—ks with Biden,'" Burwinkel said.
He then proceeded to quote the rap group N.W.A. and then said what the group's name stood for.
"I did some research, N.W.A. is a big rap group. N.W.A. stands for N—s With an Attitude. And a stander by was playing their number one song 'F—k Tha Police," Burwinkel said.
Watch all of Burwinkel's comments in the video below:
Burwinkel said he wanted to show that the language used by the officer wasn't a big deal.
Mayor Aftab Pureval said he met with Burwinkel to discuss what was said, and determined Burwinkel's response "was unsatisfying."
"If a grown man needs an explanation for why using the n-word is inappropriate, he is uniquely unqualified for a public position," Pureval said in a statement.
Melissa Wegman, Great Parks Board of Park Commissioners' board president, said commissioners have a responsibility "to ensure our parks are welcoming and inclusive for all."
"The comments made by Mr. Burwinkel do not reflect the values or culture we strive to uphold at Great Parks," Wegman said.
WCPO 9 News made several attempts to reach Burwinkel for comment through email and phone calls, but we did not receive a response.
