By Owen Pennington

Recently, Cleveland City Council’s safety committee has discussed the need to hire an inspector general over police, a position which currently isn’t filled.

While covering those meetings for the Cleveland Documenters, I was curious about this job and what the inspector general will do. Cleveland reportedly hasn’t had a person in that role since 2021.

Recently, I interviewed Ms. Sharena Zayed, a Cleveland Community Police Commission member regarding that position. What is it exactly, and why should a Cleveland resident care about it at all? Here are the questions I asked, along with her responses, sent via email.

Q: What exactly is the role of Public Safety Inspector general?

I have attached a job description of the role of the Police Inspector General. Paragraphs 250-256 of the Consent Decree require the City to include an Inspector General in its oversight model to conduct waste fraud and abuse analyses of the Police Department. The original position was designed to report to the Chief of Police and was filled by Christopher Viland. Citing concerns over independence, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) made the decision to alter the position's structure by removing it from under the Division of Police. Instead, the Police Inspector General would become the Public Safety Inspector General and conduct systemic audits and reviews of all divisions of Public Safety (Police, Fire, and EMS). 

The ultimate goal of the Public Safety Inspector goes further than investigation and making reports. It is to result in positive changes where needed in the Cleveland Division of Police allowing compliance with the consent decree.

Q: Why is it of such necessity to the city of Cleveland?

It is a requirement from the DOJ to gain compliance with the consent decree in efforts to promote constitutional policing in Cleveland. 

Q: How can we ensure that the person taking the position can be transparent in their responsibilities?

We can ensure that the person taking the position will be transparent in their responsibilities by conducting a fair and transparent hiring process, (and) clearly outline the responsibilities, scope, and expectations of the Police Inspector General's role, allowing community input in the hiring process. Residents being aware of the process and educated on the significance of the role will increase and encourage community involvement in the oversight process. Those involved can establish mechanisms for public input, feedback, and collaboration to ensure that community concerns are addressed and the Inspector General remains accountable to the public.