06-02-2025
I-TEAM: Ending oversight of Cleveland police? What it would mean to you
CLEVELAND (WJW) — The FOX 8 I-Team did some digging and asked what the impact would be if we saw an end to the Cleveland Police Consent Decree with federal watch over police reforms.
Cleveland Police have been under watch for a decade.
Every arrest. Every traffic stop. Every new policy, and more all fall under that watch.
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Now, U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno has asked the Attorney General if it's time to end the Consent Decree. It has become monitoring with no end in sight.'I would love for the Consent Decree to end in the City of Cleveland,' said Cleveland Police Union President Andy Gasiewski.
He sees no need for federal watch after a decade. He argues it has made officers afraid to do their jobs.
In fact, we've shown you, police did an internal investigation of the arrest of the man suspected of killing officer Jamieson Ritter even though the officers there did not fire shots.
'It's hampered officers from doing their job. And, the bad guys don't have any rules and regulations, but the officers have all these restrictions and guidelines,' Gasiewski went on to heard a different view from Darrell Houston.
'Do I think we can do better? I'm requiring it as a taxpayer,' he said.
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He spent 16 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. He doesn't like the federal watch dragging out. But, he believes it has made a difference.
Federal monitors have noted progress on some reforms. Not others.'I don't think the Consent Decree, right now, should be taken away when we're so close to meeting expectations for the police and the community. This is for the community and the police officers,' Houston also said.
But, also at the heart of this is the cost. Members of a federal monitoring team earn up to $750 an hour.
Many of you call $750 an hour outrageous. We've shown you, some members of the monitoring team went to a City Council meeting, and they billed taxpayers nearly 20-thousand dollars.
Charging for travelling, going to the meeting, and even preparing for it.
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb was not available to talk to us for this story. But, a city spokesperson tells us, the City just became aware of Senator Moreno's letter on Tuesday. And, the City will have more to say once a decision is made.
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Members of the federal monitoring team never comment to the I-Team. And, the federal judge overseeing the Consent Decree has never returned messages.
Now, a new call to, possibly, end the Consent Decree. But, all we know for sure is it will end – someday.
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