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Issue 24: The Community Police Commission Looks Forward

By Yugan Sakthi

This is the fourth part of an ongoing series of monthly articles about the implementation of Issue 24 and how you can become involved in the fight for our public safety. Read the last issue on theclevelandobserver.com or in last month’s issue of the paper.

On Thursday, May 19, the Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC), formed in 2015 by the federal Consent Decree, held its final quarterly public meeting. The next time the CPC meets will be in its new form with new responsibilities and new members.

The new Community Police Commission was established as a permanent city commission by the new section 115 of the City Charter. The deadline to apply to become a commissioner passed just this past month.

Section 115, the codified charter amendment that was known before the election as Issue 24, stipulates a diverse set of conditions for CPC members. Commissioners will be “broadly representative” of the “overall demographics of Cleveland residents,” including by race, gender, sexuality, age, faith, business, and other communities. 

Included in the commission must be at least one member who has been directly or indirectly impacted by police misconduct, at least two members who represent civil rights organizations, and members who meet other criteria.

The current CPC, composed entirely of dedicated volunteers, set important groundwork upon which the new Commission can build. In Thursday’s quarterly meeting, commissioners received special recognition for their service and hard work, with resolutions presented to them by Ward 1 councilman Joe Jones.

Current commissioners are hopeful that, with expanded powers and responsibilities, the new Commission can bring meaningful change to policing practices.

In the meeting’s closing remarks, CPC co-chair Lewis Katz delivered some of the final words. “As volunteers without any power, the City found it very easy to say no to us . . . [but] for a group of volunteers, we really got a lot done.”

He later went on to add, “the City has made a tremendous decision with a commission that has power . . . Cleveland can serve as an example to the rest of the country at this point, and let’s hope we get it right.”

Commissioner Harriet Hadley remarked that she is excited for the changes to come. She thanked all the families for standing up and fighting to get Issue 24 passed.

By the time the application deadline passed last month for the new Commission, nearly 300 applications had been submitted. 

Even if you were not able to apply or missed the deadline, there will be many opportunities to participate in this new era of Cleveland police reform. In the meeting, commissioners mentioned that with more funding for public outreach, the new CPC will have even more ways for the community to engage in police accountability.

In the coming weeks, Mayor Justin Bibb and his administration will review the applications and make selections. Many of the applicants include current officers in the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) for whom the amended Charter allocates up to three seats.

Together, the new commissioners will be tasked with constructing a new model of police accountability. Many are hopeful; others, including many police officers, have expressed their concerns. 

As the Issue 24 reforms move forward, it is vital that community members engage with the process in any way they can. Commissioners at the meeting expressed the power that community members have—it does not need to be a matter that is left just to time, or City Hall.

If you have any questions or would like to request specific information to appear in next month’s Issue 24 update, please do not hesitate to reach out to The Cleveland Observer at info@theclevelandobserver or on the website under “Spot It! Post It!” at the top of the page.

Issue 24: Major Hurdle Passed as Judge Approves Consent Decree Modifications

By Yugan Sakthi

This is part of an ongoing series of monthly articles about the implementation of Issue 24 and how you can become involved in the fight for our public safety. Read last months update on  theclevelandobserver.com or in last month’s issue of the paper.

March saw an important step forward in the new administration’s implementation of Issue 24 (now referred to as section 115 of the City Charter). District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. approved all necessary modifications to the consent decree as in the text of section 115 during a court hearing on March 17.

Recall that the Department of Justice (DOJ) entered Cleveland into a “consent decree” in 2015 to reform the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) after a two-year DOJ investigation found patterns of unconstitutional policing.

Because the Issue 24 reforms are much stronger than the DOJ policies in the decree, yet the latter hold more power, the two needed to be reconciled. On March 11, the City and the DOJ agreed to make the necessary changes. They submitted a modified consent decree to

Judge Oliver, who then approved it on March 17. Of the major changes was rewording the consent decree to make room for the newly reestablished Community Police Commission (CPC).

Under the newly amended Charter, the CPC is no longer a court entity but a permanent agency of the City. It has the final say on police discipline, the authority to set and enforce officer training practices, and other expanded powers.

Because the decree does not prohibit the expansion of the CPC’s authority, most mentions of the CPC in its text did not require major modification. Judge Oliver agreed it was the right move.

What did require modification were policies mentioned in the consent decree that used to fall under CDP authority that would now fall under the CPC. Yet, instead of changing mentions of “CDP” to “CPC,” the City and the DOJ changed them to “the City.”

It is a reconciliation that could potentially alleviate future legal troubles for the court, the City, and the DOJ.

Matthew Richmond, a reporter for WCPN Ideastream, called the proposed changes “clever . . . I think they found the simplest way that should satisfy all interested parties to make room for the new CPC before the City is finished with the consent decree.”

Looking Forward

Jeff Follmer, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association (CPPA), has still vowed to file a lawsuit at the first instance the CPPA feels that the new oversight committees are treading upon CDP’s investigative and disciplinary territory.

The CPPA’s and FOP’s union contracts expired on March 31. Negotiations will be underway soon for new contracts.

City Council’s budget discussions are also underway.

A meeting on March 2 included budget discussions on the CPRB, OPS, and CPC.

If you have any questions or would like to request specific information to appear in next month’s Issue 24 update, please do not hesitate to reach out to The Cleveland Observer at info@theclevelandobserver or on the website under “Spot It! Post It!” at the top of the page.