CLEVELAND — After voting started earlier this week, the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association has now revealed the results of their no-confidence vote regarding Public Safety Director Karrie Howard.
The tally?
- Yes vote on no confidence: 868 votes
- No vote on no confidence: 38 votes
“It’s all about accountability and reform," CPPA President Jeff Follmer said during a press conference Tuesday morning while calling for Howard to be fired.
The situation stems from what the CPPA says were "blatant bias" comments about the Irish history of the police department that Howard made at the “Not another Memphis” forum last week.
It was at that event when Howard was asked how to get young men interested in the police department. He responded by saying that descendants from Ireland have been historically applying for safety positions.
"The Irish flooded the police departments," Howard said. "The Irish flooded fire departments. The Irish flooded safety forces to the point where we have bagpipes, kilts and, you know, all this green when we celebrate it."
Follmer said Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb should take action and terminate Howard.
"The things that he said can’t be tolerated, and the mayor has the choice of keeping him," he said.
Mayor Bibb released the following statement on Wednesday afternoon:
"Recent comments made by Chief Director of Public Safety Karrie Howard have upset and angered many in our community.
"The Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association (CPPA), Fraternal Order of Police Cleveland Lodge No. 8, and International Association of Firefighters Local 93 have reached out to me regarding these comments. Earlier today, the CPPA released the results of a vote of no confidence they held regarding Howard’s leadership.
"I hear your frustration and I respect your concerns.
As the son of a police officer and firefighter, I have the utmost admiration and gratitude for the work that our first responders do. I hold the professionals who bravely serve our city in the highest regard, and this is a situation that we take very seriously.
"We simply will not tolerate discrimination of any kind in any department in this administration.
"As you know, Chief Howard has issued an apology and I believe that apology is sincere. As many of us who do our work in the public eye know, there are times when we make errors in judgment and fail to express ourselves well.
"Chief Director Howard works hard each and every day to keep our city safe for all residents. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience and is committed to accountability for himself and for the department. There are countless challenges that his guidance has helped us to navigate successfully, and I have full confidence in his ability to continue to lead the Department of Public Safety.
"My hope is that this is a situation that we can learn from and that we will continue to have hard conversations that help us build bridges and heal divides.
In a text message to 3News, Follmer referred to Mayor Bibb's statement as "shameful."
You can watch the full press conference from Tuesday in the player below:
Howard, meanwhile, previously issued a statement apologizing to “anyone who was hurt or offended” by his comments:
“During the panel discussion, I attempted to use a historical point to illustrate how a group of people created a culture of change by becoming part of the institution they sought to reform,” Howard said. “These comments were intended to convey sincere admiration for the Irish Clevelanders who shaped our city by being the change they wanted to see—a point that I failed to fully articulate. Again, I deeply apologize for any pain or offense these comments have caused.”
Howard told 3News that he had "no comment" following the no-confidence vote.