CPC Statement on Fatal Shooting by a Cleveland Police Officer

For Immediate Release:
April 16, 2020

(CLEVELAND, OH) — The Community Police Commission (CPC) is closely monitoring the progress of the investigation of the fatal shooting of Desmond Franklin last week. Officer Jose Garcia was not injured as a result of the incident. A 17-year-old with Franklin was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The incident occurred on Thursday, April 9th in the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood of Cleveland. The Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) has shared with the CPC that the incident is under investigation by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office and administratively by CDP’s Internal Affairs unit in accordance with the new court approved, post consent decree policies and procedures.

Guiding principles on use of force and subsequent investigations is an important element of Cleveland’s Consent Decree. The CPC works to help ensure officers engage in Constitutional and effective policing and the CPC is committed to finding out if the processes described in the reforms are working effectively in these circumstances. The CPC’s recommendations for Use of Force and past work on the issue can be found on our website at www.clecpc.org/our-work/use-of-force.

The CPC understands that the investigation into this incident is on-going. It is the CPC and community’s expectation that a full and fair investigation will be conducted into the facts pertaining to the officer’s use of deadly force and that written findings will be produced and shared with the public at the conclusion of the review.

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About the Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC)

The CPC was established in 2015 as part of the Consent Decree between the City of Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice. The CPC works with the community to provide input on police policies to help strengthen relationships between officers and the communities they serve. Better policies will help ensure policing in Cleveland is safe, effective, and that people’s civil rights are upheld. For more information, visit the CPC’s website: www.clecpc.org.

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Review of Cleveland Division of Police Training Curricula

Published: March 2020

Report Summary

Part of the Community Police Commission’s mandate under the consent decree is to review and comment on the implementation of training initiatives and programs facilitated by the Cleveland Division of Police.

This evaluation provides a gap analysis to determine the degree to which the mandated reforms as it relates to the revised curricula have been implemented. The analysis also shows whether community feedback has been incorporated and if best practices in adult education were used in developing the revised training curricula.

The guiding documents used to frame this analysis are the 2015 Consent Decree and the feedback collected during community forums from 2015 – 2019.

Read the Report: Review of CDP Training Curricula (pdf) 

Coronavirus / COVID-19 Information and Resources

As we navigate through uncharted times, know that the CPC’s first priority is to the health and safety of the Cleveland community. In response to COVID-19 and the major impact it’s had on our community, we are sharing the latest information on how the State of Ohio and City of Cleveland are responding to this global pandemic to keep our community safe. This is a rapidly changing situation, so please confirm information on this page by contacting organizations directly.

Information

General information about COVID-19 is available on the CDC website

When and How to Wash Your Hands: www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html

Ohio Department of Health: coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19

Cuyahoga County Board of Health: www.ccbh.net/coronavirus

Cleveland Department of Health: www.clevelandhealth.org

COVID-19 Updates from the City of Cleveland

In accordance with Mayor Jackson’s Proclamation of Civil Emergency, the City of Cleveland continues to take numerous precautions across multiple departments and divisions amid increasing cases of coronavirus (COVID-19). 

Read the latest updates from the City of Cleveland on COVID-19 protocols and affected city services on their blog: clecityhall.com

Community Resources

Community development organizations around the city are creating list of available community resources for residents, including food and financial assistance, in response to the coronavirus.

Cleveland's East Side

Midtown Cleveland 
midtowncleveland.org/covid-19

Slavic Village
www.slavicvillage.org/2020/03/17/slavic-village-emergency-resources-and-services

St. Clair Superior Development Corporation
www.stclairsuperior.org/covid19-resources

Cleveland's West Side

Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization & Cudell Improvement, Inc. 
www.dscdo.org/coronavirus

Metro West Community Development Organization
www.metrowestcle.org

University Circle, Inc.
www.universitycircle.org/covid-19-updates

West Park Kamm’s Neighborhood Development: 
westparkkamms.org/west-park-resources

Downtown

Campus District, Inc.
https://campusdistrict.org/covid19

Downtown Cleveland Alliance: 
www.downtowncleveland.com/news/march-2020-1/covid-19-updates-in-downtown-cleveland

CPC Elects New Co-Chairs

February 21, 2020

Rev. Frederick Knuckles and Sgt. Sgt. Richard Jackson were elected to be the Cleveland Community Police Commission’s co-chairs during Friday’s full commission meeting.

Rev. Frederick Knuckles

Rev. Frederick Knuckles has lived or worked in the City of Cleveland for over 50 years. He has been a pastor of the New Fellowship Church for 30 years and serves a moderator for the Progressive Baptist Association. Mr. Knuckles currently serves as Program Manager of the “Building Strong Families for University Settlement” in the Slavic Village Community and is an advocate for the homeless community.

Sgt. Richard Jackson

Sgt. Jackson is a returning member of the Commission. He is a 30-year member of the Cleveland Division of Police and has nearly 20 years of experience in police supervision. Additionally, he has extensive advanced organizational leadership training from organizations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Ohio Police Officer Training Academy (OPOTA), and National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE).

Watch Video of the Commission Meeting

CPC’s Statement on Tragic Loss of Tamia Chappman and CDP Officer

The CPC extends their condolences to the affected families and will be holding a special meeting for the Cleveland community to talk about recent events

For Immediate Release:
December 27, 2019

(CLEVELAND, OH) — The CPC is closely monitoring developments surrounding the vehicle pursuit on Friday, December 20 th that ended with the tragic loss of 13 year old Tamia Chappman’s life. We are also aware that on December 23 rd an officer who may have been on the scene reportedly took their own life. The CPC strongly believes both of these tragedies were preventable.

First and foremost our thoughts are with the families of both Tamia and the officer during this difficult time. We work closely with families who have faced similar traumas and empathize with the journey ahead of them. The CPC is unique in Cleveland. We are comprised of both officers and civilians who together serve as a conduit for community healing and the police reform process. We host difficult conversations, which lead to changes after a crisis such as this one. Empowered by the Consent Decree it is our intent to carry forward the community’s reform recommendations in the areas of police pursuits, use of force and officer wellness to the Chief of Police and other city leadership.

We understand this is a developing situation and an investigation is ongoing. We call upon the City to ensure a timely and thorough investigation into both deaths is conducted. We also call upon the newly appointed Inspector General to take an active lead in ensuring the integrity of these investigations. This includes guaranteeing that an investigation considers both the lawfulness of all officers’ involved actions as well adherence to the pursuit policy, internal affairs policy and critical incident stress response policy.

Nationwide police vehicle pursuits have taken thousands of innocent lives. Pursuits and traffic related cases are also the leading cause of on-duty death and injury of officers. These trends continue to increase. Locally, over the past two years, the issue of costly and tragic pursuits has been raised by the CPC, activists, media, city council persons, the NAACP and others. The 2015 Consent Decree states: “CDP will continue to limit vehicle pursuits to those in which the need to capture the suspect outweighs the danger.” In January the CPC will form a working group to review the Division’s 2015 Vehicle Pursuits policy and make additional recommendations to ensure that future reforms meet the standards set forth in the Consent Decree. This work will include further defining when, if ever, the citizens of Cleveland feel it is appropriate for a vehicle pursuit to occur.

Officer wellness and critical incident response have been a continuous part of our work over the past five years. For the last three years police suicides have outnumbered in the line of duty deaths in the United States. The CPC is also committed to re-visiting all of its past recommendations surrounding officer wellness, suicide prevention and officer mental health in 2019.

The citizens of Cleveland have a voice through our work. The CPC will be conducting a special meeting on January 16 th at 6 p.m. where Clevelanders can come together and talk about these recent events. We will be providing updates on the event’s location and other information via our Facebook and Twitter accounts and at http://www.clecpc.org. We encourage all who are interested in improving police services and preventing future tragedies like these to join us. You can also reach a staff member to share your thoughts by emailing info@clecpc.org or calling 216-505-5920.

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About the Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC)

The CPC was established in 2015 as part of the consent decree between the City of Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice. The 13 commissioners of the CPC work with the community to make recommendations on policies and practices to help strengthen relationships between officers and the communities they serve. The CPC’s website: www.clecpc.org

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CPC’s Response to CDP’s Draft Community & Problem Oriented Policing Plan (CPOP)

The Cleveland Police Commission (CPC) issued the following release with regard to the issuance of its analysis of pending City of Cleveland police policies.

For Immediate Release:
August 10, 2018

(CLEVELAND, OH) — The Cleveland Police Commission today issued its response to the City of Cleveland draft Community & Problem Oriented Policing Plan (CPOP) as well as the accompanying Staffing and Resource Policy and Recruitment Plans. The CPC document represents months of critical review and community engagement. That engagement included city wide presentations, business and law leadership meetings, surveys and focus group discussions.

Said Dr. Yvonne Conner, co-chair of the commission, “We are very pleased to present this collaborative piece. It represents the voice of the community. The CPOP plan is the centerpiece of the city’s response to the Consent Decree. We look forward to the incorporation of the recommendations of the community at this critical juncture in the process.”

Added Dick Knoth, co-chair of CPC and attorney with Baker Hostetler, “A great deal of work went into this critical analysis of the CPOP, Staffing and Recruitment Plans. That said, there is much more work to be done as we now begin the effort to be certain that the City’s approach to policing is dramatically improved. The concept of minimal compliance with the Consent Decree should not be the guidepost. Instead, creating a true environment of excellence in policing must be the end point and this working document moves the conversation in that direction.”

As anticipated, the work of the CPC will continue on this front. Additional input from the community will be analyzed following community review of the document. The CPC anticipates on-going work on all aspects of the plan until it is finalized and submitted for court approval.

For additional information contact:
Dr. Yvonne Conner
yconner@clecpc.org
(216) 406-7249

Richard Knoth
rknoth@clecpc.org
(216) 861-7412

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About the Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC)

The CPC was established in 2015 as part of the consent decree between the City of Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice. The 13 commissioners of the CPC work with the community to make recommendations on policies and practices to help strengthen relationships between officers and the communities they serve. The CPC’s website: www.clecpc.org

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Press Release – CPC Response to CDPs Draft CPOP Plan – August 10 2018Download

Public Invited to Community Police Commission Appreciation Event

The event recognizes four years of work and dedication by the individuals and organizations involved in the Cleveland police reform process.

For Immediate Release:
September 12, 2019

(CLEVELAND, OH) — The Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC) announced it will be hosting an event to recognize the dedicated volunteer commissioners, citizens, and local organizations and their work towards ensuring that all Cleveland communities are heard during the police reform process.

“This event is an opportunity to show our appreciation for the passion, grit and determination shown by our partners and commissioners to empower the community over the last four years.” says Jason Goodrick, CPC Executive Director. “Since 2015, the Commission has issued 36 reports on various issues affecting the community which equals hundreds of hours of volunteer work.”

Available at the event will be print copies the recently published CPC 2019 Annual Report & Comprehensive Review that highlights the Commission’s work since the commission was established.

The Honorable Solomon Oliver, Jr. will be the keynote speaker of the evening. Monitor Hassan Aden of the Cleveland Police Monitoring Team will be welcoming the community to the event and providing opening remarks.

The Commission Appreciation Event is free and open to the public:
WHEN: Tuesday, September 17, 2019 – 6:00pm – 8:30pm
WHERE: Jerry Sue Thornton Center, 2500 E 22nd St, Cleveland, OH 44115
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: The Honorable Solomon Oliver, Jr., U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
Eventbrite RSVP link: https://cpc-appreciation-event.eventbrite.com

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About the Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC)

The CPC was established in 2015 as part of the consent decree between the City of Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice. The 13 commissioners of the CPC work with the community to make recommendations on policies and practices to help strengthen relationships between officers and the communities they serve. The CPC’s website: www.clecpc.org

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CPC Commissioners Start New Term

November 3, 2019

On November 1, 2019, Mayor Frank Jackson administered the oath of office to the new and returning Commissioners of the Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC) in City Hall.

The 13 volunteer Commissioners are chosen by a selection panel to represent Cleveland’s many diverse communities in the reform process of police policies and practices. The Commission is looking forward forward to continuing the work outlined under the consent decree with the community as the commission begins a new term.

The names of the new Commissioners are:

  • LaToya Logan
  • Gordon Friedman
  • Rev. Frederick Knuckles
  • Dr. Stephanie Hinnershitz
  • Dr. Megan Testa
  • Lewis Katz
  • Harriet Hadley
  • Mayele Ngemba
  • Dr. Terry Echols
  • Victoria Marion Sgt. Richard Jackson –Black Shield
  • Lt. (Ret.) Gail Maxwell –Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
  • Det. Jeff Follmer –Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association (CPPA)

Watch the swearing-in ceremony here:

CPC Report: Cleveland Division of Police Mission Statement Best Practices

The Cleveland Community Police Commission (CCPC) was established by the Settlement Agreement (Consent Decree) between the Department of Justice and the City of Cleveland. The CPC exists “to leverage the experience and expertise of the people of Cleveland and to ensure that the CDP [Cleveland Division of Police] recognizes and operates in a manner consistent with cooperative community understanding and engagement.” Promoting public trust, confidence, and understanding across the City are critical to this endeavor.

This Mission Statement Best Practices Report is the second and final written CPC response about mission statements. It is issued on behalf of the community to provide insights to Cleveland Division of Police and other Consent Decree Stakeholders in compliance with the Consent Decree.

Read the Motion recommending approval of a new CDP mission statement (pdf)

Read the CPC Report (pdf)