Mayor's Appointments Committee (Friday)

The Mayor’s Appointment Committee will be reviewing the mayor’s appointees to the Civilian Police Oversight Review Board. Created by Issue 24.

Issue 24 passed with nearly 60% of the vote and creates a civilian police oversight review board for Cleveland Police. The board will investigate allegations of police misconduct.

Some background on the @MayorBibb‘s appointees to the Police Oversight Review Board.
https://mayor.clevelandohio.gov/news/mayor-bibb-announces-nominees-new-community-police-commission

After a thank you to the activists who worked hard to this initiative on the ballot the review begins.

Gregory Reaves, is a lifelong Clevelander who worked as a corrections officer (1991) and then plead guilty (1995) and served time for complicity to aid an escape. Released in 2001, he’s been working in nonprofit ever since.

“I’ve worked with the homeless, people with disabilities, people with mental health issues and drug addiction issues.”

CORRECTION– These nominees are for The Community Police Commission which will have the final say over discipline and will work with The Civilian Police Review Board who investigates police misconduct.

Mr. Reaves happened to introduce himself with his full birthdate. Below a copy of his full birth chart. https://t.co/N9EJUJSHFh

Q: Have you ever promoted or disciplined anyone in a work context?
A: I promoted and fired my best friend in the same job.
Q: Is he still your best friend?
A: Yes. He knew he was wrong.

Q: Have you ever advocated for the de-funding of the Cleveland police department?

A: No

Q: Would you be willing to take a drug test?

A: May I say something before I answer the question? I believe this commission is meant to represent all types of people and there are a lot of people who have problems with drugs. That being said, absolutely, I’d take one today.

Q: How can we help with the recruitment of police officers?

A: Making the police more approachable could help. Even the uniforms are intimidating. I think if police officers appeared at [community events] in their normal clothes it would help.

The Committee takes a takes a break from asking questions of Mr. Reaves and discusses procedure for lying while being questioned, as it pertained to an unnamed nominee from yesterday’s meeting.

Coverage of this meeting will resume tomorrow.

Back to the Mayor’s Appointment Committee.

“What we don’t have represented here is an attorney who has experience representing victims of police misconduct. I want to see [an appointee] in that category.” -Joseph T. Jones, Chairman

Back to Mr. Reaves “I firmly believe God allowed me to go through the many things I’ve gone through to be the perfect person for a commission like this. I’ve been to prison, I’ve been in law enforcement, I’ve been homeless. There are very few things I’ve not experienced.”

Ms. Jan Ridgeway who has been nominated for a 4 year term is up next.

In her introduction Ms. Ridgeway says, “I am a product of a segregated, rural South, I was born and bred in a small farming community in Georgia. I was defined and shaped by a culture that could have stifled aspirations and suppressed dreams.”

Cont’d “Instead, I was encouraged and supported to push against prescribed and limited boundaries. I was encouraged to question. I was encouraged to challenge. I was encouraged to become a catalyst for change. I was encouraged to serve and in so doing I became.”

A resident of Ward 9, Ms. Ridgeway has dedicated her life to improving Cleveland through helping establish library services in 28 neighborhoods, book mobiles for seniors and immigrants, and served on many boards.

“This commission will require us to recognize the survivors whose grief and trauma has been neglected.” -Jan Ridgeway

“This commission will make Cleveland (Cle) better. Eyes across the country will be watching our progress, but they will also be watching our missteps. As the 1st of its kind in the country it will possibly be a model for others to adopt. Cle can do better. Cle must do better.”

Ms. Ridgeway ends her impassioned introduction.

The Q&A portion of Ms. Ridgeway’s interview.

Q: Are you a lawyer?
A: No, but I’ve worked with CSU’s law clinic where I’ve helped to prepare appeal for inmates who we’ve felt had unfairly harsh punishments for certain crimes.

Q: How do you think that we should deal with police recruitment issues?
A: I think we need the police force to reflect the community. We need to work on diversity, making sure that a majority of Cleveland police are FROM Cleveland. We can do this through mentorship.

Q: Why do you want this job?
A: I bring many yrs of experience. I deal with the survivors, the families who are victims of police violence or misconduct, who are grieving. So I can bring that perspective to a city this will not heal without restorative justice.

Councilman Kevin Conwell speaks out in support of Ms. Ridgeway for her work in making sure there is diversity in a publicly funded program he was running and in her mentorship & outreach programs with youth in Ward 9.

Q: How do you feel about making tough decisions that people disagree with?
A: People think I do that too often. One example is when we worked to have Wade Park declared a historic district. When we came to city hall, people were marching against what we were doing.

Q: How can we improve trust between the community and the police?
A: We need to listen to each other. We need to understand each other’s fears. We need to understand each other’s needs.

Next up is Teri Wang, nominated for a 2-year term on the Community Police Commission.

In an emotional introduction Ms. Wang who was born in Shanghai, China says, “When I was young my parents struggled to find stable employment even though they were highly trained physicists, because of their lack of linguistic and cultural fluency.”

https://twitter.com/glascu/status/1599178213841739776?s=20&t=M68lFKh20Si3Y6Lqf5OLjQ

Q: What is your experience with law enforcement?
A: I’ve had very positive experience with law enforcement and I’ve had experiences which have been lacking. I haven’t changed between those experiences, so I think that speaks to the need for consistency in law enforcement.

Q: Are you aware of the operating procedures of the police? Have you ever written policy?
A: I am working through the operating procedures. In my consulting work I work with companies that are not preforming as they should so my main job is to write policy & procedures.

Ms. Wang has gone through the process of filing a complaint against a police officer who while being asked to file a report told her that, “sexual harassment only happens in the workplace.”

Q: Are you involved with any innocence projects?
A: I am helping a Tremont resident who through a lot of mental health issues got into an incident that led to his imprisonment. I don’t formally work with any innocence projects.

Councilman Blaine A. Griffin submits that despite being ready to support the Mayor’s appointment of Ms. Wang due to her work with immigrant and refugee populations there have been, “social commentary” about her and he wanted to have that “on record’.

These “comments” were spoken about vaguely and Ms. Wang had no way to respond nor was she given the opportunity to. Another councilman said he’d ask more about them “later” (presumably behind closed doors).

The two councilmen proceed to whisper amongst themselves AT the table while Ms. Wang is questioned by another member of the committee.

Q: How do you feel about the supremacy clause that says this Commission’s decisions will override Cleveland’s labor laws.

A: I think that would have to be adjudicated by the courts. There seems to be a lot of disagreement about it and it’s a legal matter.

Q: Have you ever advocated for the defending of Cleveland City Police?
A: No.

Q: Is there anything on your social media that might worry Cleveland City Council?
A: I don’t believe so.

Q: Why do you want to be on this Commission?
A: This is a formative part of Cleveland’s history. I’m passionate about diversity and inclusion, especially inclusion. I bring the analytical experience & intellectual experience, but more importantly the heart to be a part of this.

Q: How do you feel about being the lone decision.
A: I stick to my values which have been passed down by my parents who fought very hard against violence and for democracy in China, those are things I hold fast to. I know this will be a complicated journey.

Q:How will your experiences help you if you are chosen for this commission?
A:I listen deeply. I listen for needs, because that is the formation of trust. I know we must be objective, but the emotional sphere is important.This is complex work and I have complex skills to offer.

Q: Can you give us an example of when you used facts instead of emotions to make a decision?
A: Recently, working on a project, I’ve had to tell some dear friends that I needed a differently level of outcome. If I can do that with my own friends, I can do it in any situation.

Q: And you would review the facts?
A: Of course! I’m trained as a scientist! My parents are physicists. We always review the facts. All I’m saying is that I would proceed holistically.

Q: How can we build trust between the community and the police force.
A: Trust is so hard to rebuild when it’s broken, but we have to try, because this is a relationship we can’t step away from. I begins with individual actions. There’s not going to be a PR campaign.

Cont’d: I think we need more racial diversity in the ranks as well as diversity in experiences.

Finally, Ms. Sharena Zayed who is nominated for a 2-year term.

Ms. Zayed was born to “a West Virginia country girl and an ambitious Palestinian immigrant.” She graduated from Grenville then Tri-C, after which she embarked on a career in healthcare. She is a mother of 3.

Ms. Zayed now lives and works in Slavic village as a community organizer.

“This is where my life lead me to be between 2019 & 2020 within 3 mos. I lost a family members to questionable decisions of police officers & my precious, sweet baby-boy to gun violence. My 15 year old son, Amir, was walking home when a bullet meant for another child hit him.”

“Tears and prayers were no longer enough. I joined an activist organization.” -Sharena Zayed

Blaine A. Griffin thanks Ms. Zayed for her bravery in speaking about losing a child to violent crime.

Q: Have you ever provided discipline to employees?
A: I have done merit based peer reviews and helped small business assess changes that needed to be made to their business.

Mr. Richard A. Starr, who has worked with Ms. Zayed for several years, speaks in support. “She has a story, but she took that pain, and turned it into action to help people in the community which speaks to her character.”

Q: Why do you want this job?
A: I have the lived experience to do the job. Working as a mental health case management I’ve worked with people from all different backgrounds and representation is important. I believe the decisions we make now will set the pace for the nation.

Q: What can improve the relationship between the police and community.
A: Engagement. Officer walking the beat, going into schools. We need to get to people in the community early. If the community knew police would be held accountable if something were to happen. That’d help.

Cont’d: I think we need to work on our shared goals instead of our differences. That would help too.

The committee thank the “framers” of this proposition including: Brenda Bickerstaff, LaTonya Goldsby, Kareem Henton, Alicia Kirkman, Samaria Rice, and Jennifer Blakely.

Have questions? Think we got something wrong? Send any inquiries on the meeting or these tweets to @cledocumenters. Or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com