Safety Committee

For clarification, this is a continuation and clarification of the previous live-tweeting coverage from this morning’s meeting. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

The representatives of this meeting were Lead Monitor Karl Racine, Deputy Monitor and Interim Monitor Professor Ayesha Bell Hardaway, and Monitor Stephanie Yonekura, from the Cleveland Police Monitoring Team
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Here are a few images to show who was in attendance. These images don’t include majority of the audience. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland https://t.co/Lk0n8vZD4s

Racine was the first to speak. Part of Racine’s moments of speaking was inaudible, but was audible was the discussion about Police violence on individuals and the importance of public safety.
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Accompanying Racine, Bell Hardaway spoke next about the Police Review Board, the 12 semi annual report, and how the tiers of compliance are established. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Racine began to share a couple of scenarios of Police violence on individuals to drive the point of the importance of combating this issue.
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Council person Polensek posed questions regarding the processes of the Police Review Board and what their relationship is like with the City of Cleveland. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Pausing that question, Council Person Jones arrived to the meeting along with Council Person Gray and another representative. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Council Person Polensek asked the other council members to introduce themselves. Below is an image of who was now in attendance.
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https://t.co/MLTPU7wML7

The Council personnel introduced themselves as Joe Jones, Gray, an individual by the first name of Charles, and Polensek. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

The original course of conversation was derailed. Once the discussion was fully resumed, it was shared that members of the Civilian Police Review Board are appointed by the Mayor and City Council. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Council Person Polensek asked of the 340 areas of study that the monitors are involved in, is there any paperwork for those areas of study that can be viewed. Council Person Jones seconded the question.
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Jones and Polensek asked for something in writing regarding the 340 areas of study.
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Racine and Bell Hardaway agreed to disclose the semi annual report of the Police Review Board and described it as “very detailed”. It was also shared that these reports are public. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Karl Racine shared that the most recent report is from March of 2023. The report also covers the 340 areas of study. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Council Person Jones chimed in to share that since around 2005, the amount of annual homicides has grown to between 180-190 deaths a year. Jones asked the representatives if the areas of study will improve the safety of Cleveland.
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Karl Racine shared that their team has no doubt that these areas of study will improve public safety.
My next tweet will have the full detailed response.
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Racine went on to share that the hope is that these areas of study will help build trust between the community and police. Racine also hopes that more more people will want to become officers for the right reasons, for example, to help their efforts to create safer communities.

Briefly discussed was Charter Section 115. The textbook description for this, “Department of Justice submitted a Joint Amendment to the Consent Decree to permit the implementation of Charter Section 115, formerly known as Issue 24”
See my next tweet for the rest of this quote.

Charter Section 115 CONTINUED: “It’s the first step towards delivering constitutional policing and implementing the police accountability measures passed by Cleveland voters in November 2021.” - City Of Cleveland’s Official Site. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

“Charter Section 115 creates a new Community Police Commission, restructures the disciplinary process for police reviews, changes the review process for police training, and removes the Civilian Police Review Board from reporting to the Chief of Police or Public Safety Director”

A member of council began a conversation about “compliance”. Bell was asked how “full compliance” can be achieved as it has not been achieved yet. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Bell responded by sharing that there isn’t a number that the court is looking for to declare compliance.
The monitoring team is required to meet the standards put in place to establish compliance.
The Chairperson was unclear on the meaning of this answer.

The Council person then shared concerns that if there is no specific number, it is unclear to them how compliance is ever truly established. The chance to respond was given to Karl Racine. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Racine responded by saying that their job is to create safe environments and establish trust between the Police and the Civilians. Racine explained that this takes time, and compliance takes time, but that it remains the goal.
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One reason why discussions were rushed, cut brief, and not throughly expounded on or explained throughout this meeting was that the Monitors had to dismiss themselves at Noon. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Councilperson Jones spoke next on the topic of safety. Jones shared the realness of the lack of public safety. Jones discussed the severity of the redlining and lack of community that civilians experience daily, and said that the crime is running rapid in these neighborhoods.

Jones shared the “paralyzing” experiences that the children on the east side of Cleveland experience by seeing police officers unload their weapons in front of them. The point was driven by Jones that the communities of Cleveland are essentially disintegrating. #CLEDocumenters

Jones brought the meeting into focus, with the main purpose being that the safety and future of the communities at hand are at great risk. In order to protect the people of the communities and invite more people in, these things have to change quickly.
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Jones expressed being pleased with the representatives and asked how many people work as monitors. Racine explained that there are 27 monitors, 15 working at the core regularly. Figures that they would like to make grow. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Jones asked Racine that it be communicated if there is anything that the city of Cleveland can do to help them with the efforts of public safety. Jones specified that the city would like to provide support. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Jones suggested that there needs to be a “change in the culture” by hiring more minority police officers.
Jones described a lack of diversity as being a problem in the city for both the police and fire departments. Jones suggested that they “mirror the civilians” #CLEDocumenters

As one of the last remarks, Councilperson Howse suggested that community members be able to speak first. Howse shared that it had been two hours and a community member named “Ms.Rice” was not given the opportunity to speak on behalf of herself or her child that she has lost.

Councilperson Jones interrupted Howse in disagreement. Howse expressed disappointment for the “disregard” of Rice. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

Polensek being the last to speak reiterated the overall purpose of this meeting as being “The lack of oversight and accountability of the Police force”.
Rice stepped back in and thanked everyone for their time but shared no further remarks.
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This meeting fully adjourned at 12:10 pm.
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Have questions? Think we got something wrong?
Send any inquiries on the meeting or these tweets to @cledocumenters. Or email us at
cledocumenters@gmail.com #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland

To watch the stream for this meeting on Council’s Youtube channel, click here http://www.youtube.com/user/clevelandcitycouncil

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