CLEVELAND — A top police oversight watchdog for Cleveland is out.
The Civilian Police Review Board unanimously voted today to accept Marcus Perez’s verbal resignation.
But it appears that’s not how Perez sees it.
News 5 Investigators have been in contact with Perez through text messages asking if he resigned. He responded he did not.
The CPRB held its meeting today and began with a motion by Chair Billy Sharp to suspend regular order.
Then came Sharp's motion involving Perez, the Office of Professional Standards administrator, or OPS.
“I make the motion the CPRB accept the verbal resignation of Administrator Perez given at the last CPRB session on March the 11,” said Chair Billy Sharp.
OPS investigates citizen complaints against police officers.
The office has been in turmoil since Perez sent out an email earlier this year to police brass, city council members and federal monitors with a dashboard link.
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The city shut down OPS for about a week. It said it was an abuse of authority when Perez shared sensitive data, including officer social security numbers, home addresses, and emergency contacts.
But it’s unclear if anyone accessed that information.
Mayor Justin Bibb tapped Perez to lead OPS, an independent watchdog of the Division of Police, in May 2023.
News 5 Investigators requested an interview with Bibb, but the mayor was unavailable.
Following a public event on housing at city hall, I tried to ask the mayor about Perez, but he shook his head no as he ran upstairs.
Per the unanimous vote of the CPRB today, Perez will be on paid leave starting today. His resignation will take effect on April 10.
