For nearly eight years, the Cleveland Community Police Commission was under the steadfast leadership of Jason Goodrick. He stood firmly behind the CPC through it all, guiding us in our journey to becoming the nation’s most powerful entity of civilian police oversight. The driving factor for his unrelenting commitment to making Cleveland safer for everyone was his love for this community and the desire to ensure Constitutional policing for the citizens of this city.
Last week, former Interim Executive Director Goodrick resigned from his position at the CPC. In the next phase of his career, he will use his talents and nearly 30 years of public service experience to work under another sector within the City. We cannot speak to why Mr. Goodrick chose to separate from the CPC, but he remained adamant in his farewell to the staff and commissioners that he still fully supports its mission to ensure policing in Cleveland is safe, effective, and that people’s civil rights are upheld.
From leading the CPC from its inception to providing guidance and advice to its current iteration, Jason Goodrick has been integral to the creation of the nation’s most powerful civilian oversight body. His defense of the Commission and its independence have been critical to the work the CPC has done and will continue to do.
“Jason Goodrick’s unwavering commitment to justice and reform was evident in every aspect of his work. He challenged societal norms, called out racial injustice, and supported commissioners with a depth of knowledge that helped us grow in our roles. His passion and genuine care for people will leave a lasting impact on the CPC and the city of Cleveland,” CPC Co-Chair Sharena Zayed said.
We’d like to note, even before Mr. Goodrick’s departure, the CPC had already launched a nationwide search for a permanent executive director late last year. That process is still ongoing and the full commission will gather for a special meeting next week on Wednesday, May 21st to discuss how to best move forward. Of course, this meeting is open to the public, and we encourage people to sign up for public comment to share what they expect from the next leader of the CPC, something we will keep in mind when reviewing applications and conducting interviews.
Although the executive director position is currently unfilled, rest assured that the CPC remains unwavering in our dedication to serving the community. There is still work to be done at both committee and full commission meetings and we will not put anything on the backburner and sit by idly as we wait for a new ED to be seated.
Remember, there are 11 commissioners in place, ready to divide responsibilities equally to advance our work as quickly as possible. The office staff is still here also, ready to answer any questions or record any comments and concerns you may have.
If there’s anything you need, call us at 216-664-7518 or email us at clecpc@clevelandohio gov
Together we’ll make a difference in Cleveland.