As the Trump administration signals it intends to end police accountability consent decrees, Cleveland’s decade-long federal mandate to reform its police department could be affected, but Mayor Justin Bibb says he intends to stay the course.
"I don't care what happens in D.C," Bibb told reporters Tuesday. "I know I have a commitment to the residents of Cleveland to make sure we sustain the progress that we've made over the last 10 years, and we're going to work through what that looks like in the future."
In the decade since a Department of Justice investigation found Cleveland police engaged in excessive use of force, Cleveland has spent tens of millions of dollars to attempt to address those problems.
Bibb said even if Trump ends the consent decree, he is committed to upholding “constitutional policing” and keeping the reformations in place.
Bibb says he intends to hire Leigh Anderson, who heads the city’s police accountability team, in a permanent role. He also says he plans to seek council approval for an Office of Police Accountability.
"We're exploring with City Council what's the best way to codify [Anderson's office]," Bibb said. "But also, how do we take a long-term look at all of these oversight agencies to make sure they're streamlined and that we have a pragmatic regulatory framework for police accountability that has common sense, that makes sense, and that doesn't undermine the ability of the chief to do her job leading the Division of Police?"
Still, Bibb appears antsy for the consent decree to end. In his State of the City address last month, he said the consent monitor kept "moving the goalposts" for progress.
"The fact that we don't have any clear methodology on what compliance looks like is challenging and a bit frustrating," Bibb said Tuesday. "So it's important that the DOJ, with the monitor, give us a clear framework and a clear methodology of what compliance look like so we know how to get compliant."
Bibb estimates completing consent decree requirements within two to three years.
Bibb addresses Cleveland's summer safety plan
Bibb's comments about the consent decree came as part of a briefing with reporters about the city's summer safety plans.
The city will continue its Raising Investment in Safety (RISE) initiative, which leverages local, state and federal partnerships to increase police visibility and enforcement in what are typically the most violent months of the year.
Bibb said despite strain in federal partnerships under Trump, he does not anticipate law enforcement efforts and partnerships to be affected.
Cleveland saw a 13% reduction in crime last summer as compared to the previous three years. Bibb attributed that dip, in part, to the RISE initiative and other prevention efforts, $10 million Neighborhood Safety Fund, which provides grants to grassroots organizations already doing violence prevention throughout the city.
Bibb said Monday he will be reviewing a third round of applications to the Neighborhood Safety Fund later this month.
"Those dollars are really important, especially now as we're seeing some of the federal cuts from the DOJ with some of our community violence intervention work," Bibb said. "Really grateful that we had the foresight three years ago to put money aside so we could fund these critical community-based efforts to reduce violent crime."
Cleveland currently has 1,238 officers on staff, including cadets, out of the 1,350 budgeted. The city has worked to reverse a declining police force through pay raises and incentives, including a 3% pay raise each year for the next three years, approved by City Council on Monday.
"The thing I hear from residents is, number one, they want more police," Bibb said. "They want increased police visibility. They want the police to show up on time when we call. And they want constitutionally appropriate policing. Those are the mandates that we try to deliver on every single day."
