EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — Some East Cleveland residents sounded off during a March 27 public forum, looking for answers after 11 of the city's police officers were indicted on serious charges back in early March.
The meeting hosted by Voice of My People allowed citizens to ask East Cleveland Police Chief Brian Gerhard questions about safety and the future of their police department. Citizens asked Gerhard about police training after some of the indicted officers were seen on police body camera video allegedly using excessive force and were charged with felony corruption and civil rights violations.
Gerhard defended his department and said three new officers have been hired and the Ohio State Highway Patrol will be assisting with traffic enforcement until May 1.
“The department is perfectly capable of supporting the citizens, responding to all calls and we recently got a collaboration with the highway patrol," Gerhard said. “Another misconception is that we don’t have enough police officers to police the City of East Cleveland, this simply is not true. I want people to know, the citizens to know that our officers are not out there to hurt you.”
Joie Graham with Voice of My People citizens group told News 5 residents need to become more involved in their community and the political process that administrates how their tax dollars are spent.
“We need an informed electorate, we speak through our vote, that’s our voice, so we can no longer look outside ourselves, we have to look at ourselves, within our community," Graham said. “There’s a lot of separation and it doesn’t matter who the council members are, it doesn’t matter who the Mayor is.”
East Cleveland council member Nate Martin agreed the political wrangling between Mayor Brandon King and some members of the council needs to stop, especially with some $30 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds yet to be administrated.
“We’ve got to stop this pointing the finger at this person, pointing it at that, we have to serve the people," Martin said. “We’ve got a development on the east side of East Cleveland, we have the Metroparks that’s coming in to help us with the park, we’re moving in the right direction.”
Graham is hoping this initial citizen's meeting will perpetuate additional meetings and the kind of city unity she believes is essential for East Cleveland to move forward.
“We need timely factual information, we can no longer depend on a rumor mill, what someone said, or what press release was put out," Graham said. “If we want change, we have to strive for change. It’s going to be hard, it’s always hard, but nothing good comes out of something that you don’t struggle for, that you don’t put hard work into.”
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