CDP Agrees To Suspend Drone Usage

For Immediate Release
November 29, 2024


Cleveland Division of Police commits to grounding its drones
until approval of final policy governing use

Cleveland, Nov. 29, 2024 – After authorizing the use of a police drone to monitor a protest last weekend,
Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd has committed to representatives of the Community Police Commission
that the Cleveland Division of Police will ground its drones until a final policy is approved by the CPC and the U.S.
Department of Justice.

The police department used the drone after the Community Police Commission voted on November 20 to
approve a new General Police Order governing drone use by the Cleveland police; the city sent the policy to the
U.S. DOJ for review on November 21, according to the city.

News outlets reported that the Division deployed a drone at a November 24 protest at the residence of
Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, even though the U.S. DOJ had yet to review the policy.

In justifying its use of the surveillance tool the Division cited language from an early CPC draft of the policy,
before changes were made and the full Commission approved it; this section of the policy would have allowed
use of drones to monitor protests but was removed before the CPC approved the final version last week.

“We are encouraged that Chief Todd has committed to stop using drones until the CPC, the Monitoring Team
and the Department of Justice have signed off on a final policy,” said Piet van Lier, chair of the CPC’s Police
Policy Committee. “Our goal is to protect the constitutional rights and the safety of Cleveland residents by
ensuring drones, and other surveillance technology, are used in ways that comply with rights spelled out in the
U.S. Constitution and all other relevant laws, restrictions and regulations,” van Lier added.

The language that would have allowed drone monitoring of large gatherings was removed based on concerns of
a surveillance technology expert who worked with the CPC to revise the drone policy submitted to the CPC by
the police; the expert’s concerns were reinforced by members of the public during comments at last week’s CPC
meeting.

The policy approved by the CPC on November 20 included language prohibiting drone use to conduct
surveillance of large gatherings or crowds unless “exigent circumstances” require such action.

Section 115-5 of the city of Cleveland’s Charter, approved by Cleveland voters in 2021, gives the CPC final
authority over police policy. Over the past year, the CPC has been working closely with the Division to review
and revise policies, drawing on the expertise of volunteers and community members. The CPC first received a
draft of the drone policy from the Division on October 10 this year.

A Letter In Response To Mayor Bibb’s Interim Commander Appointment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 21, 2024

Earlier this month, Mayor Justin Bibb announced his interim appointment for 2nd District Commander, Timothy Maffo-Judd, the same officer who, in 2022, used homophobic slurs in text messages sent to his subordinates.

Mayor Bibb told Ideastream he was not aware of those messages prior to making the appointment, however, the CPC was privy to this information, due to the diligence of a concerned community member, not because the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) felt compelled to be fully open and transparent, as required by Charter 115-5. While the CDP stands firmly behind interim Commander Maffo-Judd, the CPC refused to recommend any officers for permanent positions until we receive comprehensive and complete employment records for every candidate, something the CDP failed to provide, even when they said they had given us all necessary and relevant documents to ensure that we made the most informed and best decision for the people of Cleveland.

Again, the CPC was not made aware of officer Maffo-Judd’s appointment until after he was promoted and sworn in by the mayor, a clear violation of Charter 115-5. Whether this was done intentionally or not, we cannot be sure, but we are disappointed that Mayor Bibb decided to move forward without the CPC’s recommendation. Had the CPC been consulted, we could have made the mayor cognizant of the community’s concerns about Maffo-Judd’s use of homophobic language. It should also be noted that these inappropriate text messages may not be the only instances in which officer Maffo-Judd exhibited homophobic behavior.

This commission works on behalf of the community, and we take their concerns seriously. Residents have raised concerns about several officers and their disciplinary backgrounds, yet the CDP chooses not to share these with us. Our question to the CDP is: Why is there a lack of transparency? The CPC should not have to jump through hoops to learn about serious allegations made against officers who are hoping to become leaders, responsible for the lives of thousands of people, and uphold all of our laws with honor and dignity.

We are asking the CDP to give us access to full service records for any officers up for promotion for all interim and upcoming commander position, and provide the CPC with credentials for the systems where they are kept. We vow to continue advocating for the community and will continue to fight until we gain complete access to these crucial records.

Respectfully,

Co-Chairs Sharena Zayed and Dr. John Adams

Upcoming Meeting Cancellations

As we look ahead to the rest of October, the CPC would like to remind the community of some important meeting cancellations. Please be advised that the Police Accountability meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 8th, and the Police Training Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 9th, have both been canceled.

Please also be aware that our office will be closed the week of October 14th while CPC commissioners and staff attend the 2024 annual NACOLE Conference. For the past 29 years, this five-day conference has provided a “forum for the growing community of civilian oversight practitioners, law enforcement officials, journalists, elected officials, students, community members, and others to exchange information and ideas about issues facing civilian oversight of law enforcement, jails, and prisons.”

We expect to bring back some incredible insights and knowledge from our peers, which may influence our work in the future. That being said, the Budget and Grants Committee meeting and the Police Policy Committee meeting scheduled for October 14th and 16th, respectively, have been canceled while we’re away.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Public Notice: Special Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, September 19, 2024

Over the weekend, we asked the community to share their thoughts on the candidates still in the running for the vacant Public Safety Inspector General position by completing an online survey. This public feedback form will remain open until the end of the day on Tuesday, September 17. CPC employees will then gather and analyze the responses and present the findings to the commissioners before or at the upcoming special commission meeting, scheduled for Thursday, September 19. At this meeting, the commissioners will consider all community feedback and, together, formally recommend a candidate to Mayor Justin Bibb for the Inspector General position.

Please join us at the CPC office from 6 to 7 p.m. to voice any last-minute concerns you may have during the public comment segment of our meeting. As always, we will be live-streaming the meeting on our YouTube channel. The chat box will be open, so feel free to leave questions, comments, or concerns there as well. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Canceled: Police Discipline Workgroup

This workgroup will review all CDP discipline letters and make recommendations to the full Accountability Committee on potential cases to review. We are looking for 5 to 7 dedicated individuals to meet with us once a week for 4 weeks.

Cleveland Community Police Commission searching for new commissioners

At the end of this year, the Cleveland Community Police Commission will be saying goodbye to nine of our dedicated commissioners. Shandra Benito, Pastor Kyle Early, Cait Kennedy, Gregory Reaves, Teri Wang, and Sharena Zayed will all have served two-year terms, which are set to expire in December. Charles Donaldson, Alana Garrett-Ferguson, and Jan Ridgeway have chosen to resign from their roles before the completion of their four-year terms, which were set to expire in December 2026.

We want to thank all exiting commissioners for their hard work and commitment to creating equitable police policies that protect all Cleveland residents. In the nearly two years since they were appointed, they’ve tackled everything from use of force to community surveillance and unlawful search and seizure. Even so, the CPC has hardly scratched the surface when it comes to monitoring and creating new standards for the Cleveland Division of Police.

Now, it’s time for a new cohort of commissioners to join Co-Chair Dr. John Adams, James Chura, Audrianna Rodriguez, and Piet van Lier as they build upon the CPC’s work thus far. The city is accepting applications through Friday, September 6. Applicants must be Cleveland residents and at least 18 years old. They must also fulfill one of the criteria below:

Be, represent, or be knowledgeable of, as applicable, the issues of those who are:

  •  Limited-English speakers, homeless, or who have mental-illness and substance-abuse disorders
  •  Directly impacted by police violence, or be a family member of a person who has been killed by police
  •  Been incarcerated and exonerated where police were involved in the wrongful conviction or incarceration
  •  Gun-violence survivor or be a family member of a person killed by gun violence
  •  Attorney with experience representing victims of police misconduct or criminally prosecuting police misconduct

Current commissioners whose terms end this year are welcome to reapply; they will be subject to the same rigorous application process as anyone else. After receiving community feedback, Mayor Justin Bibb will recommend individuals to fill the open positions. Cleveland City Council will issue final approvals.

For more information on how to apply to become a commissioner for the CPC, visit the City of Cleveland’s website. We look forward to welcoming all the new faces, perspectives, and voices.

Public Notice: Performance and Evaluations Committee rescheduled for 9/03/24

Please be advised that the Police Promotions and Evaluations Committee meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday, August 27th, will now take place on Tuesday, September 3rd. As always, this meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Engaging the Community Through Scenario Based Police Training


Date: Saturday, August. 24 th
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Location: CMSD Garrett Morgan School of Leadership and Innovation, 4600 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102
Registration not required

The Community Police Commission (CPC) is hosting a learning opportunity in collaboration with the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) that is open to members of the public.

The 4 hour session will focus on the CDP’s current use of force policy and feature scenarios based on the CDP’s use of force training. We invite you to listen, learn, and participate to gain insight into how police training is conducted.

Breakfast & lunch will be provided. Registration is not required to attend! There will be room for all members of the public interested in participating.


Event Hosts:
– Commander Mark Maguth
– Lt. Shawn Smith
– CPC Police Training Committee

CDP Line of Duty Death 7-4-24

For Immediate Release:

The Cleveland Community Police Commission expresses its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the officer who tragically lost their life in the line of duty on July 4th, 2024. This heartbreaking event reminds us of the immense dedication our officers demonstrate daily as they work to protect our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this loss.

In these difficult times, it is crucial to acknowledge the sacrifices made by those who serve while also reaffirming our commitment to public safety and community well-being. We stand united with the Cleveland Division of Police in seeking justice and ensuring that such tragedies are prevented in the future. The Commission remains steadfast in its mission to promote trust, accountability, and collaboration between the police and the communities they serve.