Safety Committee Operational Review of Police Oversight Agencies – October 29, 2026

The Cleveland City Council Safety Committee, chaired by Councilman Michael Polinsick, convened at approximately 4:54 PM on October 29, 2026, for an operational review of four key police accountability and oversight bodies: the Community Police Commission (CPC), the Community Relations Board (CRB), the Police Accountability Team (PAT), and the Civilian Police Review Board/Office of Professional Standards (CPRB/OPS). The presentations detailed progress, challenges, and budget requests ahead of the 2027 budget process. Staffing, consent decree compliance, community engagement, and the conflict between the City Charter and the police union contract were recurring themes. The meeting adjourned after 6:00 PM.

Community Police Commission (CPC)

• Executive Director Shalina Williams reported rebuilding the office from one employee in January 2026 to a fully staffed team of eight. She highlighted the clearance of policy and grant backlogs, the first commander promotion interviews in two years, and technical progress on records access.
• Assistant Director Timothy Scott described aligning each current and requested position to specific consent decree and charter duties. He noted that Detroit’s police oversight board operates with 43 employees and a $4.7 million budget, and requested additions including a compliance officer, an investigator, a second community engagement coordinator, and policy fellows.
• Grants Administrator Lisa Johnson stated that the 2023–2024 grant backlog fell from $388,000 to $57,261 (over 80% resolved), and $508,147 has been disbursed. The 2026–2028 cycle will award $1.2 million through a three‑tier structure (grassroots $25,000, building momentum $47,000, high impact $75,000) to 20 organizations.
• Community Engagement Coordinator Wally Sharif reported participating in 30 meetings and reaching over 350 individuals in his first month, covering 60% of Cleveland wards.
• Marketing Manager Sean Shapiro reported 50 YouTube uploads, 13 press releases, and 75,000 Facebook views year‑to‑date.
• Councilman Richard Starr challenged the lack of Cleveland residents on the CPC’s paid staff; Director Williams acknowledged the gap and committed to a written recruitment plan. Councilman Starr also requested that the CPC coordinate with the safety committee on ALPR policy.
• Councilman Charlie Slife questioned the effectiveness of spreading grant dollars among many small organizations and asked about outcome monitoring. The CPC described new internal controls including site visits and mandatory in‑person check pickup.
• Councilwoman Stephanie House Jones proposed quarterly joint meetings between the Safety Committee and the CPC; Chairman Polinsick indicated openness.
• The CPC has not conducted any disciplinary hearings due to a conflict between the City Charter and the police union contract (CBA). Director Williams reported that negotiations are ongoing, and the commission hopes to gain earlier involvement in the discipline process.
• Two commissioners (Adriano Rodriguez and Luther Roddy) are chronically absent; both terms are expiring. Seven of 13 commissioners are rotating off; only one requested reappointment.
• The commission lacks direct access to full police disciplinary case files; it currently receives only pre‑disciplinary and final discipline letters automatically.

Community Relations Board (CRB)

• Executive Director Angela Shu Woodson stated the CRB operates with 19 staff and five vacancies (four currently posted). The 2027 budget requests a 2% increase ($60,000) mainly for cost‑of‑living adjustments, with a realignment from contractual services to materials and supplies for community outreach.
• Fiscal Manager Raymond McDaniel noted unfavorable variances in separation payments (369% over budget), travel (122% over), and property rental (over 100% due to off‑site space). He is conducting a deeper analysis to verify charges.
• The CRB oversees district representatives, outreach specialists, cultural liaisons, and youth diversion. The PAST police‑diversion pilot received 18 referrals since January 2026, primarily from the third (8) and fourth (5) districts.
• The office engaged 2,219 youth and conducted 1,002 one‑on‑one interventions; high school fights in CRB‑staffed schools decreased 40%.
• Councilman Kevin Conwell urged the CRB to require grant recipients to report individual outcomes and to increase presence at ward meetings. He also suggested stationing CRB staff in recreation centers.
• Councilwoman House Jones called for a dedicated downtown liaison, noting the burden on current district representatives. The director agreed but said resources are insufficient.

Police Accountability Team (PAT)

• Executive Director Dr. Lee Anderson and Performance Auditor Hannah Rose provided an update on consent decree compliance. The 19th semi‑annual report (January–June 2026) awarded 11 upgrades.
• Use of Force Assessment (filed February 4, 2026): 75 upgrades, 4 downgrades; 97% of reviewed incidents were deemed necessary, proportional, and reasonably objective.
• Inspector General Assessment (September 2026): 6 upgrades.
• Data Collection & Analysis Assessment (October 15, 2026): 3 upgrades.
• Discipline Assessment (filed October 25, 2026): 9 upgrades, achieving the highest level of compliance for all nine city‑assigned paragraphs.
• According to Dr. Anderson, only 22 of the 343 operational consent decree paragraphs remain in non‑compliance. Councilman Slife requested a complete inventory distinguishing non‑compliance from not‑yet‑assessed areas.
• PAT is partnering with Kent State University on a community trust survey (501 residents started, 6 of 10 focus groups completed) and has secured no‑cost technical assistance for supervisory training and coordination among oversight agencies.

Civilian Police Review Board (CPRB) & Office of Professional Standards (OPS)

• Chair Brandon Brown and Administrator Jeff Weninger (former LAPD lieutenant) presented operational data and a planned reorganization.
• OPS has 16 staff, including 8 investigators (budgeted for 10) and 1 senior investigator (budgeted for 3). Five staff reside in Cleveland.
• The office is on track for 277 complaints in 2026 (up from 242 in 2025). 409 cases are active, 19 are in referred status, and approximately 100 await board adjudication.
• Average investigation length is 295 days; discipline implementation averages 133 days.
• Of 124 bias policing allegations (2022–2026), only one was sustained (the officer resigned). The most common allegation categories are lack of service, unprofessional behavior, and improper procedure. Allegations of excessive force and bias policing have declined since 2024.
• Board activity increased 40% year‑over‑year, with 560 allegations heard across 144 cases.
• Administrator Weninger is restructuring OPS into three units (preliminary, primary, and review) to enhance quality control and efficiency. He has also changed policy to continue investigations even when officers separate from employment.
• A significant barrier is timely records access from the division; OPS is exploring embedding an investigator in police records.
• Chairman Polinsick requested a ward‑level breakdown of allegations and clear definitions of allegation categories.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were cast; the operational reviews were informational in preparation for the 2027 budget hearings.
• Directives issued during the meeting:
  • CPC must provide a written plan to recruit and retain Cleveland residents on staff (Councilman Starr).
  • CRB must submit a list of contracted violence prevention organizations, funding amounts, and the neighborhoods they serve (Chairman Polinsick).
  • PAT must supply a complete list of consent decree paragraphs in non‑compliance, with a clear indication of which have been assessed (Councilman Slife).
  • CPRB/OPS must break down complaints by ward and explain allegation categories (Chairman Polinsick).
• Other next steps:
  • The Safety Committee and CPC are expected to establish a joint quarterly meeting schedule, as proposed by Councilwoman House Jones.
  • CPC will continue negotiations with the police division, law department, and union to resolve the charter–CBA conflict and achieve direct records access.
  • The federal consent decree remains in place; the monitoring team is projected to remain for at least two more years. The PAT will present a compliance update to council.