Whether the problems at the Columbus Police Department are the quality and number of recruits, training, policies, culture or all of the above, citizens continue to suffer.

Several weeks ago, a Columbus Detective pleaded guilty in a fatal hit-and-run crash, and admitted he had been drinking heavily before the tragedy.

Back in February, the U.S. Department of Justice recommended reforms for the department after a two-year review of scandals ranging from how officers handled protests against racial injustice to deadly officer-involved shootings.

Now, an officer has been caught on video suggesting an 11-year-old girl “could probably get charged with child porn” after the girl’s father called police about a person online who had manipulated her into sending intimate photos of herself.

According to a report from The Washington Post, the father hoped the officers could speak with the young girl to help her “realize what this was.”

Instead, one of the two officers who responded told the father it was his daughter who could face charges. When the man protested, the officer said “Doesn’t matter. She’s still making porn.”

Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant has said the department contacted the father to apologize. Bryant said the officers’ response and alleged crime against the child would be “fully investigated.” That’s the least that should happen. It’s time to rid the department of bad characters.