CLEVELAND — On Friday, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson swore in Karrie Howard as the city's new Director of Public Safety. Howard will replace Michael McGrath, who announced his retirement earlier this week.
Howard is a former Chief Prosecutor for the City of Cleveland and a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Assistant County Prosecutor.
In his remarks after being sworn in, Howard pledged to work with the city's community groups, including Black Lives Matter, to help foster better relations with the city's police, fire, and EMS departments.
"I hear all the voices of the Cleveland community," Howard said. I hear you calling out for change, reforms, and collaboration. I stand ready to listen, to learn, to serve, and to build bridges between public safety and the community we protect and serve."
In an email announcing his retirement to his staff at the Department of Public Service, McGrath stated, "It has been a privilege, honor, and pleasure to serve as the Director of Public Safety for the city of Cleveland. Due to personal and unavoidable circumstances I will be retiring from the Director’s position on Friday, June 19, 2020."
“I congratulate Michael McGrath on 48 years of public service as a police officer, as Chief of Police and as the director of the Department of Public Safety. McGrath’s career demonstrates what it means to be a true public servant. During my time as a Councilman, he was appointed by Mayor Michael White as Commander of a District that included a portion of my ward. He was appointed Chief of Police by Mayor Jane Campbell. I retained him as part of my administration because of his excellent service. He helped to develop our policies and procedures before we entered into the consent decree, many of which have helped us through the consent decree," Mayor Jackson said in a statement announcing McGrath's retirement earlier this week.
You can watch the entire swearing in ceremony of Karrie Howard in the player below.
