Cleveland police oversight news
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Cleveland has more layers of police oversight than ever. How are they supposed to work?
It’s been a decade since federal officials in 2014 spotlighted serious problems with how Cleveland’s officers were policing the community. A sweeping U.S. Department of Justice investigation outlined how officers repeatedly violated the constitutional rights of residents – often pulling guns, beating suspects and creating confrontation.
The investigation also revealed the gaping holes in accountability for police and a lack of community trust, especially in communities of color. The city agreed to far-reaching reforms as part of an agreement called a consent decree in hopes of rehabbing the department’s culture and rebuilding relationships with residents.
Now, the city has layers (and layers and layers) of oversight. Citizen-led boards and commissions have more power and independence than ever. Yet to many Clevelanders, it’s still not clear how accountability works and who really holds power.
Signal Cleveland is explaining how police oversight works in Cleveland. Have a question we didn’t answer? Share them here.
