I-Team: Fallen officer's family files complaint for fellow police
CLEVELAND (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered a third complaint filed by the parents of fallen Cleveland Police officer Jamieson Ritter, outlining what they believe is misconduct by police administration.
This marks the third complaint filed with the Office of Professional Standards, and it concerns officers not given paid time off to attend the funeral for Jamieson Ritter.
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Ritter died in the line of duty when police say he was shot by a wanted man. It happened on the morning of July 4, 2024.
Karen and Jon Ritter first filed a complaint with the Cleveland Office of Professional Standards in January. In that, they cited how they were notified of their son's death. They described getting a cold phone call in the middle of the night.
Another complaint was written by the head of the OPS as 'an extension' of the original complaint. That additional complaint was signed by the officer's parents. It suggests police top brass failed officer Ritter by having patrol officers try to arrest a wanted man considered armed and dangerous.
That complaint said, 'The lack of proactive measures led to unnecessary risks, culminating in the murder of Officer Ritter, including failure to utilize CPD SWAT, Cuyahoga County SWAT, and the United States Marshal's Office tactical resources.'
Again, the third complaint suggests officers closest to Officer Ritter and the deadly incident were not afforded proper benefits.
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The complaint said, 'We request that you review the referenced GPOs (General Police Orders) and ensure the officers involved were afforded the provisions of the order, which are mandated, required time off, debriefing, counseling, and all other provisions that should have been followed because of this traumatic officer-involved shooting incident. '
Also, an email to the police chief last summer from the parents said, 'When speaking to you about Jamieson's New York services, I expressed my desire to have squad C, those at the scene, and his academy class attend Jamieson's services and support our family in laying Jamieson to rest. These are the 'brothers and sisters' suffering the most, to this day.' Everyone who attended and worked at Jamieson's services should have been given the same accommodation and benefits. Only Command Staff and Honor Guard were given administrative leave, hotel accommodation, and gas expenses. Others were forced to use sick leave, comp time, or furlough and had to pay for their accommodation. '
The officer's parents said the Chief responded to the email by writing, 'I appreciate you sharing your concerns and I want you to know that how things were handled for Jamieson's funeral were specific policies of the City and the Division. Being a municipality, we have policies in place on matters that incur cost to the City. This was not a personal decision or meant to take away from honoring Jamieson, your family, and their grieving process. '
The Office of Professional Standards has all three of the complaints for internal investigation.
The I-Team has revealed that, during the deadly encounter, six officers had guns out. They did not shoot the suspect. Yet, officers said the suspect kept firing shots even as an officer held his wrist to the ground.
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One complaint also said, 'The recent tragic murder of Officer Ritter underscores the poor decision-making and inadequate support systems for officers, raising serious concerns about Chief Todd's leadership responsibility, resulting in dereliction of duty, repeated violations of General Police Orders and the legal mandates of the Ohio Revised Code.'
The complaint continued on to say, 'Before high-risk deployments, operational planning was insufficient, contributing to perilous situations for officers. Discussions before the incident indicate that Chief Todd and her leadership failed to provide a non-hostile work environment, proper training for specialized assignments, and access to essential resources.'
Monday, the office of Chief Dorothy Todd responded with a statement. It said, 'The Division of Police is also still grieving the loss of Officer Jamieson Ritter and we empathize with the Ritter family. What happened that day was the result of a violent criminal's actions with a gun and was an absolute tragedy. They have opted to exercise their right to an administrative review of the incident, which will proceed in the same manner as others do. The pain and grief of the Ritter family is unfathomable to anyone who has not lost a loved one in the line of duty and is something I will not minimize by commenting on this specific complaint. The Division of Police policies and training were written with the approval of the Department of Justice under the Federal Consent Decree. Schedules of patrols officers are governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement,' Todd said.
The suspect, Delawnte Hardy, has been found incompetent to stand trial. He was sent to a mental health clinic for treatment. Prosecutors are hoping he will be restored to competency.\
Court records show a hearing will be held in the next few days for court 'approval of medical treatment and administration of medication.' An exact date has not yet been set.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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