"Policing Facts vs.
Smoke & Mirrors
"
















PRESIDENT'S CORNER

 

February 25, 2008

We have developed a plan to submit to our elected leaders concerning redeployment of “New Hire” personnel as a result of the .25% income tax increase we have proposed.  Let me begin by saying that we strongly believe that the leadership in Cleveland could find a way to finance the additional 300 Police Officers we need if they had the inclination.  The reality is that coming up with an additional 22.5 million dollars from within a nearly 700 million dollar budget is achievable according to our CPA.  It is a matter of priorities, not money.  We are at a crossroads in Cleveland, and tough decisions have to be made by our elected leaders for the right reasons and the overall good of our once great city.  We can no longer afford decisions being made based on political self preservation, as we have each grown far to accustomed to seeing from our leaders.

 
Background;

       Our City leaders routinely attempt to excuse their failure to provide for the safety and well being of their citizens on the fact that Cleveland is the 4th poorest city in the country, and therefore they simply cannot afford to.  What they do not want the average Clevelander to understand, is the fact that those figures are based on the per capita income of the residents of Cleveland. ($24,000 per year)  Our general fund budget, which funds the Police Department, is based on the income of not only our residents working in Cleveland, but also the 400,000 plus workforce that commutes to Cleveland every day to earn a living.  The reality is that the average income of all those who work in Cleveland is nearly $39,000 per year, which places Cleveland firmly at 17th in the Nation.  Simply put, the problems in Cleveland are being caused by a lack of priorities, not finances.
 
     A Cleveland Police Officers’ wage package is approximately $75,000 per year including benefits.  Total cost per year for 300 additional Officers is $23.1 million.  Our proposed income tax increase will raise $31.2 million per year.  The .25% income tax increase we propose will cost the average Cleveland resident $1.15 per week ($60 per year) and the average Cleveland worker $1.87 per week ($97.24 per year.)   After the Police Officers have been hired, there would be roughly an $8.1 million excess per year.  We propose this money to be earmarked as follows;

    -  $1.25 million per year to the Aviation Unit to enable 24 hour per day, 7 day per week operation of our helicopters.  The helicopters save Police, citizen and suspect lives.  They also protect the city and our Officers from potential civil liability sometimes associated with Police work.

    -  $750,000 per year to re-establish and operate a viable well equipped Ports and Harbor / Rescue Diver Unit.  Currently we have 23 miles of un-patrolled coastline bordering a foreign country.  We have over 6 miles of  un-patrolled river, an international port, an un-protected water source, power stations, Browns Stadium, Tower City, airport, and last but not least, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame which literally hangs out over the water.  Incidentally, the Rock Hall is thought to be Cleveland’s most vulnerable and high value terrorist target due to the symbolism it represents.  The combination of a 24/7 Aviation Unit and a Harbor Unit patrolling our waterways in tandem  would go a long way in protecting our city.

    -  $2.1 million per year to establish, maintain, and operate “Chicago Style” surveillance camera pods and Zone Car cameras to assist, not replace law enforcement Officers.

    -  $750,000 per year to finance new crime stoppers programs to assist in the apprehension, prosecution, and conviction of criminals.  This would undoubtedly increase our currently declining solvability rates.

    -  $750,000 per year for Police Youth Cadet and Auxiliary Police programs to assist in local Police recruitment and Community Policing efforts.

     -   $2.5 million per year to establish and assist community / neighborhood / recreation center programs to seek out, train, and properly equip community watch groups, recreation center personnel, to assist Law Enforcement Officers in protecting our city, and providing our children with positive Police interaction and alternatives to crime.
 
Proposed Assignment of 300 Additional Officers;
 
     We believe that re-establishing positive communication and interaction with our grammar school aged children is of vital importance.
    -The first 100 of these Officers should be immediately assigned to “Community Policing type Units.”  Mini Stations should be re-established and should house Community Police Officers, Dare Unit / School Officers, Bike Unit Officers and the Mounted Unit.  These very local mini stations will reconnect the Police Department with the children and the community in a positive manner.  This would re-establish the positive interaction between the Police and the community in a very real way.

    -  The next 100 new Officers should be used to re-establish the District Strike Force Units,  Aviation Unit, Gang Unit, Fugitive Unit, Ports and Harbor Unit, and supplement the Homicide Unit, the Narcotics Unit, S.W.A.T. Unit and District Detective Bureaus.

    -  The last 100 new Officers would be used to supplement and properly equip Basic Patrol.
 
     Along with these recommendations, we would also recommend the reassignment of 80 of 120 Community Service Officers to Basic Patrol.  This would leave each District a 7 Officer Community Service Unit to work directly for the District Commander in whatever capacity necessary.  Providing an additional 180 Police Officers to Basic Patrol will allow for faster response times, greater Police presence, greater Officer (therefore public) safety and will also be conducive to community policing efforts.  The theory being that if there are nearly 2 Police units assigned to each “zone” in the city, those Officers will be much more likely to be able to remain in their assigned zones and therefore will be able to establish relationships with residents, business people and local criminals alike. 

Conclusion;

     While I realize and understand that “another damn tax increase” is going to make people cringe, the thought of sitting back and watching our city implode with crime, without attempting to realistically correct the problems we face, cannot be an option. Our good, God fearing, contributing citizens are running for their lives, and our businesses are leaving the city and not looking back.  Sitting back and watching these trends continue, should no longer be an option for any of us.  Until we have the Officers we need to once again become a proactive, aggressive, community style Police Department, these unfortunate trends will not reverse, despite the Mayor and his appointed command staff rolling out initiative after meaningless initiative.  For example, establishing a 6 Officer “Gang Impact Squad” makes for a great sound bite during troubled political times, but will accomplish little more than leaving a void in the Districts and Units that those Officers originally came from.  Unfortunately our elected and appointed leaders have done scant more than place political Band-Aids on the crime issues in Cleveland that require major surgery.  If real efforts are not made by people willing to step up and be real leaders, Cleveland is going to continue to hemorrhage residents and businesses to other states, counties, and suburbs, and we will be left behind with Detroit,  except without the gambling.  
 
     Our leaders could pave Euclid Avenue with gold bricks and build a Medical Mart / Convention Center out of platinum, if people do not feel safe while living, working, or playing in Cleveland, they will not come here.  An investment of less than $2.00 per week from most of the folks working in Cleveland will rebuild our decimated, understaffed Police Department, assist us in protecting and reaching our children, and go a long way to retain and attract residents and businesses back to our City.  This City has great potential, we must take the necessary steps to realize and nurture that potential, not mock it by ignoring the issues at hand and how to realistically correct them.
 
Sincerely,
Stephen S. Loomis, President
Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association

February 11, 2008

Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association Press Release:

On Wednesday February 6th, 2008, the Honorable Judge Nancy A. Fuerst entered her opinion on case number CV-641853, Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, et al. vs. City of Cleveland.

Her conclusion reads as follows; 

    "While the State of Ohio grants broad authority to municipalities to govern themselves and especially administer their police departments, the City of Cleveland exceeded its authority in this instance.  As the city grapples with its financial shortfalls, the Ordinance authorizing the Director of Port Control to contract with private entity which would privately employ special police officers for duty at the airport contravenes Ohio law and is in violation of the Home-Rule Amendment.

    Accordingly, the court finds City of Cleveland Ordinance 1424-07 in conflict with general state laws relating to police regulation, a matter of statewide concern, and an impermissible exercise of home-rule authority."


    While the CPPA is obviously thrilled with this decision, more importantly, we applaud the Honorable Judge Fuerst for having the courage to render this decision given the immense pressure that can be introduced into any situation in Cleveland by Cleveland politics.  We thank Judge Fuerst for her thoughtful consideration of the facts and law surrounding this case as presented by both the CPPA and the city. 

    While we acknowledge that the City of Cleveland desperately needs more Police Officers on the street, we firmly believe that removing these Officers from one assignment to place them in another will only exasperate our crime problems in Cleveland and not solve them.  As president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, I look forward to working WITH the Mayor and Chief of Police in helping solve the crime issues we face in Cleveland.  Until these issues are faced head on and in a realistic and safe manner, Cleveland will continue to decline and its residents and visitors will continue to live at risk.

    Robbing Peter to pay Paul seldom if ever works.  It is time for our elected and appointed officials to roll up their sleeves and figure out how to finance the return to work of the 300 Police Officers we need to make a difference in our community.  Without the return of these Officers providing a proactive response to crime, we will continue to be an entirely reactive Police Department.  We have each witnessed first hand how well that has been working for Cleveland for the past 4 years. 

Respectfully,
Steve

February 6, 2008

Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association Press Release:

 
On Wednesday February 6th, 2008, the Honorable Judge Nancy A. Fuerst entered her opinion on case number CV-641853, Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, et al. vs. City of Cleveland.
 
Her conclusion reads as follows; 
 
    "While the State of Ohio grants broad authority to municipalities to govern themselves and especially administer their police departments, the City of Cleveland exceeded its authority in this instance.  As the city grapples with its financial shortfalls, the Ordinance authorizing the Director of Port Control to contract with private entity which would privately employ special police officers for duty at the airport contravenes Ohio law and is in violation of the Home-Rule Amendment.
 
    Accordingly, the court finds City of Cleveland Ordinance 1424-07 in conflict with general state laws relating to police regulation, a matter of statewide concern, and an impermissible exercise of home-rule authority."
 
 
    While the CPPA is obviously thrilled with this decision, more importantly, we applaud the Honorable Judge Fuerst for having the courage to render this decision given the immense pressure that can be introduced into any situation in Cleveland by Cleveland politics.  We thank Judge Fuerst for her thoughtful consideration of the facts and law surrounding this case as presented by both the CPPA and the city. 
 
    While we acknowledge that the City of Cleveland desperately needs more Police Officers on the street, we firmly believe that removing these Officers from one assignment to place them in another will only exasperate our crime problems in Cleveland and not solve them.  As president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, I look forward to working WITH the Mayor and Chief of Police in helping solve the crime issues we face in Cleveland.  Until these issues are faced head on and in a realistic and safe manner, Cleveland will continue to decline and its residents and visitors will continue to live at risk. 
 
    Robbing Peter to pay Paul seldom if ever works.  It is time for our elected and appointed officials to roll up their sleeves and figure out how to finance the return to work of the 300 Police Officers we need to make a difference in our community.  Without the return of these Officers providing a proactive response to crime, we will continue to be an entirely reactive Police Department.  We have each witnessed first hand how well that has been working for Cleveland for the past 4 years. 
 
Respectfully,
 
Steve