Police Reform in Cleveland: 100 Years Project
The CPC’s 100 Year Project documents the history of policing and police reform in Cleveland from 1922 to the present. Follow our timeline starting in Cleveland in the 1920s, or see past reform recommendations made by policing topic. This is an ongoing project and we encourage all interested individuals and organizations to join us in expanding on this research.
Decades
1980s - 1990s
The “war on drugs” hits Cleveland hard and the crime rate peaks in the early 1990s, Cleveland looks for a way to modernize its police force and improve community-police relations. Unresolved complaints of police brutality lead to a citizen referendum for change and oversight. Even with the new complaint investigation system in place police manage to escape accountability and little change occurs.
Significant Documents
Reports & documents that reviewed Cleveland police operations encouraged reform.
- (1980) The 1980’s Plan For Improving CDP Operation
- (1983) Final Report of the Mayor’s Committee on Police-Community Relations
- (1993) International Association of Police Chiefs - Policing Cleveland in the Nineties: A Plan for Managing the Cleveland Police Department During the Next Decade
- (1997) Recommendations to Increase Diversity/ Minorities on Public Safety Forces for City of Cleveland Strategic Report
Significant Events
Highlighted major events in this time frame, Not intended to be an all inclusive list.
- (1980s-90s) Crack Epidemic
- (1980) Miami Uprising, Arthur McDuffie homicide, acquittal
- (1982) CDP Shooting Michael A Woods “no bill”
- (1983) OPS Legislation vetoed by Mayor Voinovich
- (1984) Office of Professional Standards (OPS) Charter Amendment
- (1985) Tennessee v. Garner
- (1985) CDP Crack Scandal; Police Chief Suspended; Officers Acquitted
- (1988) Office of Professional Standards (OPS) Supreme Court Ruling
- (1990-91) The Gulf War
- (1991) Rodney King
- (1992) LA Uprising
- (1994) Violent Crime and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 14141 Investigation
- (1994) Patrick Oliver, First African American Chief of the CDP
- (1996) St Petersburg Fl Uprising, unarmed Tyron Lewis Homicide
Political Climate
The general mood and opinions about political and social issues in the 80s & 90s
- Partisan politics – Cleveland is firmly Democratic, but the last Republican Mayor is George Voinovich is elected in 1980. Race and socioeconomic status remain the principal political divisions.
- Cleveland continues to lose population, no longer in the top 10, Cleveland is down to 505k in 1990. Black Clevelanders make up 46% of the population. There are 1,668 sworn officers, of which 26% are Black.
- There was some economic recovery and economic redevelopment.
- Organized crime is weakened but not eliminated.
- Crime across the US reaches its highest levels since Prohibition. This is also the case in Cleveland; homicides reach their peak in 1991. The crime rate starts to decline in the mid 1990s.
- Police reform at this time is concerned with modernizing the force, improving community relations, increasing diversity, and improving performance.
Police Reform Key Highlights
Table listing a problem or concern along with a summary of recommended reforms. These are not the exact words from the text, but are summarized by our researchers as best as possible – highlighting key points and phrases.
Summary of Problem or Concern | Summary of Proposed Reform |
|---|---|
Organizational challenges; outdated policies | New programs for improving the CDP, new program for administrative rulemaking, restructure units Sources Recommending: The 1980s Plan, Policing in the 90s |
Recruitment, particularly minority recruitment, promotions | Commitment to affirmative action, improve civil service entrance and promotional exams, make policing more attractive to minorities--establish partnerships with schools Sources Recommending: The 1980s Plan, Strategic Report |
Leadership | Improve training for at all levels, supervisors will be evaluated by employees; teaching leaders to accept change Sources Recommending: The 1980s Plan, Policing in the 90s |
Current investigative process for police involved shootings | Employ Force Incident Team; use data to analyze UOF incidents; highlight officers who deescalate as models; use UOF reports to assess need for training Sources Recommending: Mayor’s Committee |
Current procedure to resolve complaints against officers | Abolish Mayor’s complaint panel; elected or appointed civilian authority will rule on serious cases; Law Dept. for minor Sources Recommending: Mayor’s Committee; Policing in the 90s |
Community Relations
| Address concerns of the growing Hispanic community; Establish an open and receptive climate for minorities to work with officers and maintain minorities' interest Sources Recommending: Policing in the 90s, Strategic Report |
Union contracts | Increase managerial flexibility, accountability of command staff Sources Recommending: Policing in the 90s |
Education | Raise educational standards for entry; every officer must know and be accountable for policy Sources Recommending: Policing in the 90s |
Police doing non-police work | Have civilians do civilian work “civilianize certain tasks” Sources Recommending: Policing in the 90s |
Mini-stations | Praise for mini stations however Integrate mini-stations leadership into police districts; too involved in politics Sources Recommending: Policing in the 90s |
Analysis | Improve data collection and analysis to help fight crime Sources Recommending: Policing in the 90s |
Newspaper Headlines
Headline from The Plain Dealer, Feb. 11, 1988
Highlighted Quotes
The department is not striving to break new ground. We are not going to be at the forefront of police technology; we are not going to conduct experiments as a result of this plan. We are going to return to traditional values of public service, working to do as well as possible, the things which citizens depend on police to do–Be there when they are needed, be helpful and sensitive, give good service, and be honest in our work as well as in our acknowledgment that we are not perfect.
– The 1980’s Plan For Improving CDP Operation
Continuing the Research
The CPC’s research into the documented history of the Cleveland police is ongoing as part of the 100 Years Project. By looking into Cleveland’s past, the CPC aims to help the community gain a better understanding of what policing practices have been successful, what issues exist, and what lessons still need to be learned to move forward in creating a more sustainable policing model for the future.
If you are an individual or organization interested in joining us in taking a deeper dive into this information, please contact us to get involved in expanding on this research.
Join the Research
Please contact CPC Senior Policy Analyst, Ryan Walker, at rwalker@clecpc.org to get involved in expanding on this research.
Schedule a Presentation
CPC researchers are available for interviews and custom presentations for schools, groups or organizations interested in this project or its findings.
Questions or Feedback
We welcome your questions & comments about this project. Contact us via the information listed on our contact page or start a conversation on our community forum.
100 Years Project: Explore by Decade or Topic
Read about key documents and events by year, or learn about how each police reform issue area mandated by the 2015 Consent Decree compares to recommendations made in the past.
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