August 10, 2023

Mr. Karrie Howard

Director, Dept. of Public Safety
601 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Dear Director Howard:

During the course of your presentation to the Cleveland City Council’s Public Safety
Committee held on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, you provided useful information
regarding staffing levels and crime statistics to the Committee, of which we are
appreciative.

Within the documents and subsequent discussion you indicated there were 99
departures from CPD in 2023 from January to date. You also indicated at the Table that
there were exit interviews with 43 of those who “retired” and the 52 who “resigned,”
which is a number that greatly concerns all of us in Council. Is the exit interview
information available for the Council to review?

In addition, you provided a page titled “APPLICANTS THAT DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE
ACADEMY JUNE 2022 TO PRESENT.” Councilman Kris Harsh and others, including
myself, have been looking at the numbers with great interest. If you look at the six (6)
categories you outlined, there was a total of 295 potential cadets for that period of time.
Then you indicated that 110 withdrew their application as defined as “self-initiated.”
What information do you have as to the reason for why they withdrew? This information
would be helpful in moving forward with recruitment.

However, the greatest concern amongst members is the potential 98 recruits which
were “passed over” by you, as Safety Director. That is 1/3 of the applicants! What
information can you provide for each of them as to why they were “passed over?” We
would also like the data on their age, race and gender; for that number weighs very
heavily on the Council.

The majority of us in the Body have been promoting recruitment for CPD in our
respective wards and newsletters. To find that 1/3 were “passed over” and we don’t
know why, it raises obvious concerns.
When the Council and citizens supported the 1-in-10 Civil Service selection process, our
collective goal was to increase the potential pool of candidates for CPD which was to
hopefully attract more minorities, women and other ethnic and religious groups into the
ranks of the CPD. It is pretty obvious, at this point, that this isn’t working and we in
Council are trying to understand why not.

I don’t have to tell you or anyone else, we are at a critical juncture in the Division of
Police. Again, we are now below the 1923 levels and having to call in outside law
enforcement agencies for help just to address basic policing in the city. We need officers
patrolling our streets and responding to calls for service, more than ever before. I don’t
have to tell Chief Drummond what we have gone through in the 5th District alone with
the level of gun violence and the lack of police visibility.

Council members have the right to know why 98 potential recruits were “passed over” in
light of the critical condition we find ourselves in today in the Division of Police. If you
add up the individuals “passed over” and those who “withdrew,” supposedly on their
own, that is 208 out of the 295. So, it is clear to me that we do have individuals applying
but at the end of the day only a fraction are being hired and sworn-in.

It is my opinion, that under the present hiring process, the Division of Police will fall to
such a low level where we will be unable to provide even basic police coverage and
critical specialized units will be completely decimated. At that point, in essence, the Div.
of Police will be de-funded by the shear lack of officers.

Director, I look forward to receiving the information requested. Any questions, please
contact me immediately. As always, I may be reached at the office at (216) 664-4236 or
via email at mpolensek@clevelandcitycouncil.org.

Sincerely yours,

Michael D. Polensek
Michael D. Polensek
Councilman, Ward 8

CC: The Honorable Justin Bibb, Mayor

Mr. Bradford Davy, Chief of Staff
The Honorable Blaine Griffin, Council President,
All Cleveland City Council Members
Chief Dornat Drummond, Chief of Police