Cleveland Police Overhaul

The new Cleveland standard of American policing. Will it stop abuse? Will it get the job done?

It got so bad in Cleveland that the Feds came in. After years of black Clevelanders complaining about police and abuse. With a Cleveland cop taking two seconds to shoot a 12-year-old dead. After officer Michael Brelo climbed on the hood of a car and pumped 15 rounds through the windshield — after the chase. After more than a hundred other shots. Now the Department of Justice has levelled a consent decree on Cleveland’s police. This is how you’ll do. It’s very detailed. It’s tough. This hour On Point:  he new Cleveland standard of policing. Could it, should it, be a model for the nation?
-- Tom Ashbrook

Cory Shaffer, crime reporter for the Northeast Ohio Media Group. (@cory_shaffer)

Simone Weischselbaum, staff writer for the Marshall Project. (@simonejwei)

Reverend RA Vernon, founder and senior pastor at Cleveland's Word Church. (@drravernon)

Ron Hosko, president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund. Former assistant director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division.

US Department of Justice: Cleveland Settlement Agreement — "The United States of America and the City of Cleveland are committed to ensuring that police services in Cleveland are delivered in a manner that is constitutional, effective, and consistent with community values, while preserving officer and public safety. To further these goals, the Cleveland Division of Police and the Cleveland community must have a strong relationship that is built on mutual trust and respect."

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Cleveland police will strive for bias-free policing under Justice Department consent decree — "The U.S. Justice Department didn't set out to examine racial bias when it began its investigation into use-of-force abuses within the Cleveland police department. The 58-page letter of findings released in December skewered the department's training, officer behavior and a lack of follow-through on internal investigation, but there was only one significant mention of race."

The Marshall Project: Policing the Police — "Changes to Cleveland Division of Police include: Prohibiting officers from pistol whipping suspects, placing them into neck holds, or deploying a Taser (or similar weapons) when they are running away; creating a multi-layer system of police oversight with a new inspector general post, more detailed investigations into civilian complaints against officers, and a revamped internal affairs office; and engaging in problem-oriented policing."