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