CLEVELAND — Amid a rash of recent violent crime in the city, including a mass shooting that wounded nine people, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb has announced new plans to combat violence as part of his Raising Investment in Safety for Everyone (RISE) Initiative.
“The level of violence we are seeing in our city requires seismic investments and an all-hands-on-deck approach,” said Bibb in a statement. “We are engaging everyone — police, fire, EMS, building and housing, community relations, residents, nonprofit partners and businesses — to confront this issue. We all have a role in keeping Cleveland safe and everyone must send the message that we will not tolerate violence.”
Here are the key investments as part of Bibb's updated RISE initiative:
- The Department of Public Safety is finalizing a contract with a local marketing consultant, who will develop a robust, comprehensive strategy and campaign for officer recruitment and retention.
- The Division of Police partnered with Cuyahoga County and launched a pilot program that will focus on addressing carjackings and car thefts across Cleveland.
- Cleveland's Violence Reduction Task Force – which prioritizes crimes of violence, gang activity, drug enforcement and fugitive apprehension – extended their focus to hot spots in the city and shutting down problematic locations and streets in partnership with the departments of Building & Housing, Public Health, and Fire.
- The city says it is working with the U.S. Marshals and FBI on the expansion of warrant sweeps and gun intelligence efforts, the U.S. Attorney to support fast-tracking of city-related gun cases, RTA and CMHA to expand curfew enforcement, and the State Highway Patrol to ramp up traffic enforcement.
The RISE plan seeks to "invest in police and public safety, leveraging regional partnerships, promoting aggressive enforcement and increased police visibility, and increasing the use of technology to help tackle crime."
In its statement, the city also points out that previous investments of the RISE plan included raising police officer pay, establishing a violence prevention endowment fund, and using American Rescue Plan Act funds for a new downtown lighting project to enhance safety.
The city adds that "additional investments in police, including recruitment and retention strategies, remain under discussion" in the run-up to Cleveland's first ever Public Safety Summit next month. Bibb will meet with Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association President Det. Jeff Follmer and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 8 President Capt. Jim O'Malley on Aug. 23. in discussions focusing on "Police Officer Retention, Recruitment, and Deployment."
The RISE plan has also seen the expansion of the city's Safe Smart CLE Camera Program, AI-powered camera monitoring and maintenance, more crime analysts for police, and adding ShotSpotter into all five of Cleveland's police districts.
“As mayor, safety is my number one priority and I am deeply grateful to our first responders, to our police union leadership for their engagement, and to the community leaders out in the neighborhoods working to make Cleveland a better place,” added Bibb. “Everyone deserves to feel safe no matter what neighborhood they live in, which is why we need to unite, stand up, and push back against this violence. That’s what RISE is all about.”
Bibb's announcement comes one week after tensions between his office and Cleveland City Council boiled over after no one from the administration attended the July 13 council meeting. The Bibb administration cited "political grandstanding" as its reason for skipping the meeting. That night, council took an opportunity to criticize the mayor's office for the lack of a police recruitment plan.
"About freaking time," Ward 8 Councilman Michael Polensek, whose fiery speech during that meeting made headlines, told 3News Thursday when asked about the mayor's plan. "When these guys — these gun-packing thugs — are sticking guns in the face of women and children, it's no way to live."
Watch Polensek's speech from a week ago:
Both Polensek and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 8 President Jim O'Malley claimed they were not aware of the RISE initiative prior to its release. O'Malley released the following statement to 3News:
"Firstly, the FOP applauds the administration's attempt to address these important public safety issues. But I must ask, how does the 'RISE' initiative mesh with the degree of civilian oversight and punitive discipline currently hanging over our members' heads?
"The FOP strongly supports any initiative that promotes officer and public safety, officer retention, and job satisfaction. But the admirable goal of 'aggressive enforcement' may likely place officers' careers in jeopardy when 'aggressive enforcement' meets the City's civilian review board.
"If the administration expects 'aggressive enforcement,' will it support our members when they are brought up on disciplinary charges for doing their jobs?
"So far, 'enforcement,' much less 'aggressive enforcement' seems to be highly discouraged by the Division's civilian review board. We have seen officers brought up on disciplinary charges when their appropriate enforcement actions are deemed 'offensive' to the civilian review board, which operates with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight.
"Our members want to serve the public, earn a fair wage, and go home to their families at the end of the day. They have more than enough challenges facing them on the streets under the best of circumstances. These challenges are compounded when they are forced to look over their shoulders and second guess their experience, training, and instincts because they are concerned about being second guessed and facing punitive disciplinary action by people who have never done the job.
"We should all have shared goals: protect public safety and trust; increase officer retention and recruitment; and build a system that works for all stake holders.
"Increasing compensation and making investments within our community address only some of our challenges. The FOP believes that the administration and the Division need to recognize the profound impact that the current disciplinary system has on our staffing levels. How can we attract new officers when our existing members are concerned about the disciplinary system and oversight?
"Potential recruits know what they are walking into if they take a position within the Division. And that knowledge leads them elsewhere. Sure, the pay and working conditions need to improve. But we also need to take a long, hard look at how we handle and support our law enforcement professionals.
"The FOP humbly suggests that our current system of oversight and discipline is not encouraging officer retention, much less recruitment."
Polensek acknowledged "some encouraging points" of the plan, but also stressed the need for continued urgency when it comes to combatting crime in Cleveland.
"I've never seen anything like it in all my years of public office, the level of violence from one end of the city to the other," the councilman said of the current state of affairs. "No neighborhood is immune anymore."
In regard to O'Malley's concerns about "aggressive enforcement" and the citizen review board, Polensek expressed sympathy for Bibb and others' desire for greater oversight of police. However, he also believes there needs to be a greater understanding of the things those in the department have to deal with.
"They have to understand that this is a tough time and this is a tough business, and we've got to support our men and women in blue," Polensek explained. "Now, do we want accountability? Yes. Do we want transparency? Yes. Do we want professional conduct? Yes, but you have to understand what they're dealing with in the street."
According to City Council, Bibb and his administration have canceled several safety briefings with legislators in recent days. The next such update is currently scheduled for Aug. 2.
Previous Reporting:
- Cleveland City Council, Mayor Justin Bibb meet amid tensions after administration boycotted Wednesday's meeting
- Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, police union leaders to meet in August for 'Public Safety Summit'
- 'We just can't compete': Cleveland lawmakers point to salary disparities as reason for police officer shortage