by Nick Castele
Cleveland's police monitor has pushed back a training deadline that's part of its plan for complying with the city's reform agreement with the Justice Department. Ideastream's Nick Castele reports an updated first-year plan was submitted to a federal judge this week.
The new plan calls for officers to be trained on the city’s new use of force policy by the end of March next year. Originally, the deadline was the end of 2016.
“The training on these new policies is incredibly critical, and the division needs to—and I think the process needs to—take the time to make sure that that training is high quality and gives officers the content and the practice and the skill that they need,” monitor Matthew Barge said in an interview.
In a message to the judge, Monitor Matthew Barge wrote that Cleveland would focus over the next few months on completing the new use-of-force policy. The city also plans to draw up manuals for the office of professional standards and police review board, as well as to draft policies for use-of-force investigations.
Also on the to-do list for the next few months: drafting policies for bias-free policing, mental health crisis interventions and body cameras.
The Community Police Commission is expected to publish a report at the end of the year summarizing its work so far.
Another deadline is also fast approaching: Election Day this upcoming Tuesday. On the ballot for Cleveland voters are proposed changes to the city’s police review board.
