A photo of members of the Department of Public Safety – led by Director Karrie Howard (right) – at the Oct. 11 Safety Committee meeting.
Members of the Department of Public Safety – led by Director Karrie Howard (right) – at the Oct. 11 Safety Committee meeting. Credit: Cleveland City Council YouTube

Covered by Documenter Lauren Hakim (notes)

Positions to fill

Cleveland City Council is getting a head start on budget season by conducting reviews of how city departments operate. The Safety Committee’s Oct. 11 review of the Cleveland police confirmed that the city has still not filled all the officer positions that were budgeted for.

A chart showing Cleveland Division of Police staffing levels compared to what was budgeted for as of October 2023.

Although fewer jobs are filled now than at the end of 2022, fewer officers have left the force, officials said. In 2022, 168 officers left, as opposed to 133 so far in 2023.

Overtime

There was another budget upset revealed during the committee’s review: According to Daniel Fay, deputy chief of administrative operations, the city has spent $20 million on overtime for officers. Only $13 million was budgeted.

Read more from Documenter Lauren Hakim:

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