Cleveland’s Police Monitoring Team oversees and measures police reform. The team has a lead monitor and is independent, meaning it doesn’t work for the city or the U.S. Department of Justice. It reports to the federal judge who is overseeing Cleveland’s consent decree.
The monitoring team puts out reports about twice a year, marking progress – or lack of it – on each area of reform. It also can act as a technical adviser to the city and police department. (Look through all of the reports.)
Cleveland’s consent decree
The consent decree is an agreement between Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice that requires police reforms. It came after a federal investigation that found a “pattern and practice” of police officers violating the rights of residents and using excessive force. The city and the federal government signed the agreement in 2015.
When was Cleveland’s Police Monitoring Team was created?
The team was created in October of 2015 after Cleveland entered into a legal agreement – a consent decree – with the U.S. Department of Justice. The agreement stems from a federal investigation into Cleveland Police policies and practices regarding excessive force.
That investigation started in March 2013, months after 13 Cleveland officers fired 137 bullets in an incident, killing Malissa Williams, 30, and Timothy Russell, 43. Federal investigators found that Cleveland police often used more force than needed against vulnerable residents.
Who has served in the monitor role?
Since 2015, Cleveland has had four consent decree monitors, including an interim who held the position for about six months.
In April 2023, the city chose Hogan Lovells, an American-British law firm, as the new monitoring team with Karl Racine as the lead monitor. Before becoming the team’s monitor, Racine was Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
Who picks the monitoring team?
The city and the Department of Justice select a monitor. Senior U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr., the federal judge overseeing the consent decree, has to sign off on their decision. The monitor asks the judge for permission to hire consultants or experts.
The monitoring team is hired for five years, and the contract can be extended automatically for two more years. After seven years, the U.S. District Court judge decides whether a longer extension is necessary.
Who does the monitoring team report to?
The monitor provides reports to Oliver twice a year. The judge holds hearings where the monitoring team presents its reports and city public safety leaders outline their progress on police reform. The judge also makes decisions if there is a disagreement between the city, the Department of Justice or the monitoring team.
What are the qualifications for working on the team?
Many team members are lawyers who have worked on criminal justice investigations. Some are former law enforcement officers, while others have worked on consent decree teams in other cities. The team also includes researchers and criminologists who have studied police behavior and police reform and several local community representatives.
Who pays the costs of the monitoring team work?
The city pays for the monitoring team. The team submits detailed invoices to the city for its work. The city, the Department of Justice and the federal court all review the statements. Monitoring team members also provide some free work hours, according to the team website. (See the team’s monthly statements.)
How do people interact with each entity? What are public comment guidelines for each?
The monitoring team is supposed to put together a community survey every two years to get feedback on the police department’s changes.
In that process, they attend community meetings and events and talk to Cleveland residents and other people.
The most recent survey on the team’s website is from 2018. The survey found that Black Clevelanders have a significantly less positive view of police than white and Latino residents do.
Residents surveyed should represent the diversity of Cleveland, and surveys should be available in Spanish, English and other languages.
