Cleveland Police Monitor Expands Civilian Complaint Backlog

The federal monitoring team overseeing the police consent decree in Cleveland released its fourth progress report today and, during a hearing in district court, revealed that a backlog of civilian complaints may have actually grown since their last meeting.

According to the monitor, there are about 380 open civilian complaint cases against Cleveland Division of Police officers. But the monitor’s office recently found more because the city’s Office of Professional Standards incorrectly closed an unknown number of cases.

The progress report also highlighted the city’s accomplishments, including training for all officers on new use of force and crisis intervention policies. And the city is close to completing its new bias-free policing policies. 

Judge Solomon Oliver told the city during a November hearing that more intrusive measures might be needed if the backlog of complaint cases isn’t cleared. Cleveland officials said at this hearing that the process for handling cases is being overhauled – a new administrator is being sought, outside investigators will be hired and progress should be made within six months.