CLEVELAND — From police impersonators to stolen cars and a shooting that wounded a Cleveland police detective, officers have their hands full.
They’re short-staffed, and the warmer, busier months are almost here.
One month after a detective was shot by a suspected car thief, a federal manhunt finally caught up with 17-year-old Jayrion Church, who is now under arrest. But three others are still out there.
RELATED: 17-year-old arrested for allegedly shooting Cleveland Police officer in March
Detective Mark Bahrijczuk was shot in March while investigating stolen Kias and Hyundais.
"It's always been bad and I think it's getting worse,” said Judy Martin with the group Black on Black Crime.
Martin is a community activist who is concerned about the growing violence. She’s still waiting for her son, who was shot and killed, to walk through the door.
"But it's not going to happen, sorry,” Martin said.
Her son, Chris, was killed in Cleveland at age 23. Judy says the gunman wanted the rims on the car he was sitting in. That was nearly 30 years ago, in 1994.
Today, fake cops are terrorizing drivers.
Andrew Alexander told News 5 Investigators at least four young guys with guns pretending to be police stole his phone, wallet and car on April 1.
RELATED: CCW license holder shares terrifying experience with Cleveland police impersonators
It was one of five impersonator cases in Cleveland since March 7 where masked gunmen in bulletproof vests in cars with light bars have pulled over drivers.
No one has been killed in these crimes. When you look at homicide numbers, there are 38 in Cleveland, just one less than the same time last year.
In 2022, Cleveland had 155 homicides in total.
In 1994, when Judy’s son was killed, there were 142.
"I beg parents to get involved before your child is killed,” Martin said.
Police Chief Wayne Drummond and Safety Director Karrie Howard got the council safety committee up to speed on staffing Wednesday.
There are 18 detectives in homicide, fewer than experts recommended. And the Division is down 227 officers with nearly 300 eligible to retire at any time.
RELATED: Dangerously Understaffed: 285 Cleveland police officers eligible to retire
"They're working, we're sometimes mandating the officers working overtime but we want to make sure we have a sufficient number of officers on the road to answer the calls for service,” Chief Drummond said.
As News 5 has reported, the department is dangerously understaffed with summer nearing.
"I just think we have a generation of people young and old — because just because you're old doesn't make you any smarter — of people who haven't had enough attention or love or family or feeling they're important,” Martin said.
News 5 requested to speak with Mayor Bibb about this but he was not made available.
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