CLEVELAND — Day Two of budget hearings for the city of Cleveland was again full of questions and some concerns over public safety, specifically regarding why the police department could potentially budget for 148 less officers than last year.
In 2022, the city budgeted for 1,640 officers, then for 1,498 in 2023. This year, Mayor Justin M. Bibb is proposing another drop to 1,350, although that's still 181 more than what the Cleveland Division of Police currently employs and allows for room to hire.
But even with no current jobs being cut, legislators are skeptical.
"We're saying, 'Wait a minute, the department is steadily going down, and as of today, we were told we have 1,169 officers,'" Ward 8 Councilman Mike Polensek told 3News after the meeting.
Polensek chairs of the Public Safety Committee, and he and some of his colleagues don't understand why that number remains where it is.
"It's about crime prevention: When you put people in the street, you stop crime from happening," Polensek said. "That's what we want to see taking place in this city, and that's the position of the Council president, myself, and all the members of the body."
Council President Blaine Griffin also raised questions about a study to determine optimal police staffing.
"Who is that third-party entity, and who and how is going to give us that optimal number?" he asked. "Because just having every chief saying, 'This is the number that I think I need,' that's not built on science and facts and studies and mandates. It's just going to lock us in to an arbitrary number that may be too low or too high."
A city spokesperson said, in part, that the adjusted budget reflects the nationwide reality that police departments are facing with recruitment challenges. However, they anticipate a strong police academy this spring, along with an expedited academy for former Cleveland police officers looking to come back after higher wages and 12-hour shifts were implemented at the beginning of this year.
"The 1,350 budget number gives the division the resources it needs to fully staff patrol and to augment the staff in the specialized units," Ahmed Abonamah, the city’s chief finance officer, said.
The budget hearings continue the rest of the week. Residents can watch the live stream on the city's YouTube page and can also provide feedback on the budget through this online survey link.