Tuesday marked the first step toward potentially suspending the Downtown Safety Patrol, which the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department runs.
County council members have proposed that the sheriff be prohibited from using money for his Downtown Safety Patrol.
Council members supporting the legislation have raised concerns about the program's cost and the county's liability for patrols that are not part of the same consent decree under which the Cleveland police operate.
"The question is whether the county should assume the responsibility of the City of Cleveland's role in patrolling and keeping its own streets safe," said District 11 Councilperson Sunny Simon.
During public comment, several spoke out in support of the patrol, including Laborers Local 860, which represents Cuyahoga deputies, a Cleveland Police homicide detective, and a man who lives downtown near Public Square.
Jesse Howells says he considered leaving his downtown home 16 years after his wife was assaulted in a random attack. But asked council members not to defund the sheriff.
“Something changed when we started seeing the sheriff’s deputies patrolling talking to people and showing up consistently and slowly we felt a little safer,” Howells said.
Colin Sikon, with Laborers Local 860, represents about 700 county employees, including almost 200 men and women in the sheriff’s department.
“These men and women work tirelessly, long hours, trying to make sure that this area is safe in light of what’s happened with the unfortunate accident. I don't want to see a plug pulled,” Sikon said.
Sikon pointed to law enforcement seeing a staffing problem and says departments are doing a great job working hand in hand, helping each other out.
Cleveland Police homicide detective Steve Loomis says he took the day off to speak at tonight’s county meeting. But it is not speaking for the Division. He pointed to staffing shortages.
“We are dramatically understaffed and I’ve lived in Cleveland my whole life, I have kids in this city; the Cleveland Police Department can not do it down there we do not have the resources to do it and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department when they started this downtown services unit or downtown patrol remarkable effort,” Loomis said.
Simon thanked everyone who made public comments on the Downtown Safety Patrol and said she appreciates the work that’s been done.
“But I think what people are missing with this legislation it’s not a matter of whether this is a worthy endeavor it’s not a matter of whether they effective in what they’re doing the question is whether the county should assume the responsibility of the city of Cleveland’s role in patrolling and keeping its own streets safe,” Simon said.
Simon says they need to take a look at the City of Cleveland’s role in this and why the county has stepped in.
“It’s to take a step back take a pause take a look at what the cost benefit analysis is for the county we’ve lost two lives as a result of this unit’s involvement to what extent I don’t know but we’ve not heard one thing about the victims and I say victims plural,” Simon said.
Council member Mike Gallagher chairs the County Council Safety Committee. He says they’ve asked questions time and time again about the Downtown Safety Patrol and never get answers.
“I think this is a learning moment since the inception of the Downtown Safety Patrol which we were never told about and now I’m being told the executive team was never told about it, it just appeared, it’s never been put into a budget which has always been a concern,” Gallagher said.
County Executive Chris Ronayne said dismantling the Downtown Safety Patrol would risk public safety.
"I urge you to continue to support their work, which frankly, the bang for the buck far outweighs the cost," he said.
The legislation was forwarded to the Committee of the Whole for further discussion next month before a final vote will be taken.
RELATED: County Council member calls for Downtown Safety Patrol to be disbanded
The proposal
On April 18, the Cuyahoga County Council announced that it is considering a proposal to halt funding for the downtown safety patrol.
The push to disband the patrol followed the high-speed chase, which turned deadly. Several members of the council are questioning the policies and cost of the program that started in 2023.
The sheriff told News 5 that since the safety patrol began, deputies have been involved in more than 100 felony arrests, nearly 5,000 traffic stops, and confiscated illegal guns and drugs.
What happened?
Tamya Westmoreland was driving a Range Rover on March 28 when she was struck by a Dodge Neon driven by 24-year-old Nigel Wayne Perry. The crash caused her SUV to go over the traffic bridge at the Eddy Road exit in a ball of flames as she was thrown from her vehicle.
Perry died at the scene. Westmoreland, who had nothing to do with the chase, died on April 13 after spending two weeks in the hospital.
Deputies chased Perry from East 9th Street in Downtown Cleveland. Records show Perry ran from a traffic stop with the initial pull-over for a window tint violation and concern over an expired plate.
RELATED: Cuyahoga County councilman wants sheriff's department to answer for chase that ended in deadly crash
Ronayne released the following statement in support of the safety patrol:
"The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department Downtown Safety Patrol has become a trusted presence in the downtown neighborhood, ensuring the safety of residents, workers, and visitors. The Patrol’s efforts make a positive impact on public safety for visitors, workers, and residents from throughout Cuyahoga County who frequent our downtown.
Since its inception in 2023, the Downtown Safety Patrol has confiscated 291 illegally-possessed firearms, 65 of which were connected to other violent crimes, including felonious assaults and homicides. In addition, the deputies of DSP have made 103 felony arrests and confiscated $197,489.50 tied to illegal drug sales.
When requested, the Downtown Safety Patrol goes far beyond the footprint of downtown, deploying to municipalities county-wide to provide assistance. The unit plays a critical role in keeping large-scale events safe, providing crowd management, traffic control and tactical assistance to municipal law enforcement agencies prior to, during and after events. Their efforts include securing parades, concerts, sporting events, and festivals. The Patrol regularly deploys to communities across Cuyahoga County to provide mutual aid and bolster city resources, securing events like Home Days, church festivals, and high school sporting events.
Dismantling the Downtown Safety Patrol would risk public safety and undo the meaningful progress the Sheriff’s Department has made in building trust and maintaining stability across the County. The proposed legislation is a threat to public safety, an affront to the autonomy of the sheriff department, and conflicts with our community’s goal for a healthy and safe Cuyahoga County."
