by Chuck Hoven

   (Plain Press September 2026) When the Federal Consent Decree Monitoring Team met with Cleveland City Council’s Safety Committee in May of this year it was evident from their testimony that the City of Cleveland has a ways to go to become in substantial and effective compliance with the Consent Decree agreed to by the City and the United States Department of Justice in 2015. In the Consent Decree, the City of Cleveland agreed to make a number of reforms in the way the City of Cleveland Division of Police interacts with the public.

NEWS ANALYSIS

   An article in the June 2026 Plain Press by Chuck Hoven titled “Federal Consent Decree Monitoring Team reports to Safety Committee” describes some of the areas that the Monitoring Team felt needed more work. One of those areas of concern was meeting the goals of a section of the Consent Decree titled “Community Engagement and Building Trust.”

   Monitoring Team Member Charles See, testifying about the Monitoring Team’s Report, said the report noted the role of the District Policing Committees (DPC) in keeping the public appraised of crime reduction efforts and safety improvements as well as in gathering information and feedback from the community.

   However, See said the Report expressed concern about the lack of diversity (race, age, gender and background) of those attending DPC meetings.

   At the City Council Safety Committee Meeting, the Monitoring Team promised to join with the City of Cleveland administration in holding working group meetings with the District Policing Committees, the Cleveland Division of Police, and the Cleveland Community Relations Board to explore ways to “expand community participation.”

   As is evident in the lead article in this issue of the Plain Press by Bruce Checefsky titled “Ohio City Shootout: Resident tells Second District Policing Committee about bullets fired into her home,” the District Policing Committees are engaged in gathering feedback from the community.

   However, the challenge of getting a diverse group of residents to attend the meetings remains. Reflecting on the origins of the District Policing Committees gives some insight to the intent of the committees designed by. Community Relations Board staff member Chuck Habjan in the early 1980s.

   When first created, the committees were called Police Community Relations Committees. An article by Chuck Hoven in the January 25, 1982 edition of the Plain Press titled “Better communication is the goal: City sets up program for police and residents” includes some comments by Chuck Habjan about the hopes for the committees. In the article, Habjan said, “Barriers which exist between citizens and police officers are based upon a lack of communication. This leads to a lack of understanding by both citizens and the police officers of their roles and responsibilities.”

   At the time, Habjan said he felt the committees will increase the opportunity for mutual cooperation between residents and police in solving problems. Although unsure of what will result from the program, Habjan believed that “whatever happens will be positive.”

   In the same January 25, 1982 issue of the Plain Press, another article by Chuck Hoven titled “With proper care, Community Relations Committees can work” examines how committee members would be chosen in the Second District. At that time, the Second Police District had ten police patrol zones. Meetings were held in each of the ten police patrol zones where residents of those police patrol zones elected a representative to serve on the Second District Community Relations Committee.

   The article urged residents to attend the meetings in the police patrol zone where they lived and vote. It said, “It is important that community residents come to the initial meetings (see box listing meeting dates, times, and locations) to assure that their interests are represented and that people knowledgeable about the area and its problems will be selected to serve on the committee.”

   The use of patrol car zones in the Second District resulted in an ideal opportunity for dialogue between resident representatives and police officers that patrolled the zone that they represented. The article said, “One hopes that such efforts will result in mutual problem-solving effort with police and citizens working together toward safer city neighborhoods.”

Community Policing Committees today

   Recently, Plain Press Editor Debbie Sadlon and I attended the Southeast Asian Festival at Edgewater Park to take some photos for the Plain Press. The City of Cleveland Community Relations Board had a booth at the festival. We had a chance to chat with long time Community Relations staff member Tammy Hanna. She served for many years as a staff member for the First District Community Relations Committee (now First District Policing Committee) and is now in charge of helping residents organize a Neighborhood Watch.

   Hanna said that none of the Cleveland Police Districts operate with patrol car zones anymore. She said even in the 1980s when the District Community Relations Committees were formed, only the Second and Fourth Districts operated that way. Now individual zone cars respond to calls throughout the Police District rather than in a particular zone.

   However, she said Policing Committees still have elections for Citizen Co-Chair and Secretary. Some District Policing Committees also elect a Treasurer.

Increasing Community Participation

   Any resident can attend a District Policing Committee meeting. The meetings are open to the public. It is not necessary to be elected to a position to speak and share ideas at the meetings.

   One way to increase resident presence and represent neighborhood interests would be for more neighborhood residents to take advantage of the service offered by the Community Relations Board’s Neighborhood Watch program run by Community Relations Liaison Tammy Hanna.

   Neighborhood Watch is designed to help residents set up a block club. Once the Neighborhood Watch block club is set up, residents can discuss whatever issues are important to them. If a crime issue comes up, they can make sure members of their group attend the District Community Policing Committee meeting to bring the issue to the attention of the District Commander and the Policing Committee.

Editor’s Note: For information on the First and Second District Policing Committee meetings and the Neighborhood Watch Program – see this month’s Community Board.