CLEVELAND — Cleveland's Senior Advisor for Public Safety, Phillip McHugh, has resigned from his role following recent backlash.
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb announced the news on Thursday afternoon.
"I understand that the hiring of Phil has evoked pain within our community. I have heard your concerns and acknowledge that situations like these are hard – as a leader, as a resident, and as a Black man," Bibb said in a statement. The issues of race, discrimination and privilege that have been raised are complex and nuanced, and I've been grappling with how to best navigate and address them."
3News' partner, Cleveland.com, reported earlier this week that two members of Cleveland City Council were calling for McHugh's firing after he allegedly lied about his involvement in a 2015 Washington, D.C. police case, in which he was accused of violating the constitutional rights of two senior citizens.
Since taking office in March, McHugh, who was Mayor Bibb's college roommate, has received backlash, according to Cleveland.com, due to his role in the civil rights case in which he was a fledging detective.
Most recently, the backlash came when McHugh gave a statement to Cleveland.com that did not match his previous statements he made under oath about his aggressive investigation in the 2015 Washington D.C. police case.
The full statement from Mayor Bibb can be read below:
"I am writing to inform you of the decision of Philip McHugh to resign from his role in the Department of Public Safety and to step down from the administration effective immediately.
I understand that the hiring of Phil has evoked pain within our community. I have heard your concerns and acknowledge that situations like these are hard – as a leader, as a resident, and as a Black man. The issues of race, discrimination and privilege that have been raised are complex and nuanced, and I've been grappling with how to best navigate and address them.
As a Black man born and raised in Cleveland, with grandparents from the segregated South who instilled in me a deep commitment to civil rights and social justice, I ran for Mayor of Cleveland with a vision of creating equitable change. I believe in the power of effective leadership and diverse perspectives to address the most pressing, complex issues facing our community. First and foremost of these is public safety. I know that if we cannot get this right, nothing else matters.
I have said from the beginning that our city is in need of smart and talented individuals to help us modernize public safety and address the evolving challenges we face. The complexities of public safety require innovative solutions, data-driven strategies, and a collaborative approach that leverages the expertise and insights of a diverse range of professionals. Since meeting Phil, I have known him to be this type of leader. However, Phil recognizes that his past has led to a distraction as well as concern from our community and my staff. It became clear to Phil that he will not be able to be effective in this environment. Still, I remain committed to delivering these solutions for Clevelanders so they have the level of service they deserve.
Every day I wake up, I’m focused on the safety of our residents. It's a pivotal moment in our city where we have the opportunity to make a real difference, and I'm committed to doing everything in my power to ensure that we do.
My commitment is unwavering and I need each and every one of you to continue to help us in that cause.
I am here for you and I am here with you."
Councilman Richard Starr was one of the two members of Cleveland City Council who had called for McHugh's resignation. He provided the below statement:
"Today, I received news of Phillip McHugh's resignation as the Safety Advisor for Cleveland. This resignation is the best thing for the city of Cleveland.
Transparency is at the heart of Phillip McHugh's resignation. It's unacceptable that a senior advisor to the Mayor was involved in a case in which he was accused of violating the constitutional rights of two senior citizens. It’s also unacceptable that this was discovered only after the City hired him. We must ensure that our city's safety leaders and officials can be trusted, especially with the Cleveland Division of Police still under a U.S. Department of Justice Consent Decree. Hiring someone involved with constitutional and civil rights issues goes against our efforts to improve and reform public safety.
Despite some seeing this situation as a political game, it's essential to understand that all actions taken should be in the best interest of our residents. The role of council is to hear the concerns of the community and my colleagues and I will listen and advocate for the public.
We are committed to providing safer neighborhoods, better housing and employment opportunities, and more quality-of-life resources to Clevelanders. For instance, with the school year ending, we're worried about how we can provide recreational opportunities for young people to keep their minds busy and tackle the increased food insecurity that many of the city's children will face over the summer months.
It's important to reiterate that Phillip McHugh's resignation is not about Cleveland City Council. As leaders, we must do everything we can to improve and preserve the trust in public safety. Hiring Mr. McHugh eroded some of the trust and gains we've made. City Council members will continue to collaborate with the administration to help restore the community's confidence.
I want to thank the administration, including Mayor Justin M. Bibb, for accepting Phillip McHugh's resignation. However, it's crucial that the administration realizes that leadership means doing the right thing. We must put this unfortunate situation behind us and focus on providing Clevelanders with safer neighborhoods, better housing, and employment opportunities while tackling issues like food deserts in the City of Cleveland to improve the quality of life for our residents."
3News will continue to update this story as we learn more details.
MORE ON WKYC...