CLEVELAND — Cleveland's new police chief, Annie Todd, welcomed her first academy class since her promotion last month.
Interim Safety Director Wayne Drummond credited recent job incentives for seating 52 recruits.
There’s no guarantee all will graduate this fall. But if they do, Drummond says it’ll make a huge difference.
Last year, News 5 Investigators found 128 officers left the department between Jan. 1, 2023, and Sept. 27, 2023.
Councilman Mike Polensek wants to know the game plan for seating recruits for the rest of the year.
Mayor Justin Bibb showed off the 155th police academy class on social media Monday. Drummond spoke with the cadets, too.
"First and foremost congratulate them and also let them know we need them,” Drummond said.
Fifty-two men and women on day one of seven-and-a-half months of training. Their graduation is expected in November.
News 5 Investigators asked Drummond the likelihood of all 52 making it through the academy.
“You know percentage-wise, when you look at that, there’s generally several people who drop out; that's just the national average,” Drummond said.
Drummond says academy instructors will give them what they need to succeed in joining the ranks.
And they’re badly needed as the city is just under 200 officers short of its budgeted staffing.
As of Monday, the city has 1,153 sworn officers, and it’s budgeted for 1350.
"No, I don’t think it’s a small dent. Not a small dent when you consider this class is seven times larger than the previous class, so it’s not a small dent, it’s a huge dent,” Drummond said.
The past two academies had a total of 16 graduates. While he is pleased there are 52 recruits this time; Councilman Mike Polsensek says there needs to be multiple classes in training.
"We passed a budget, this body passed a budget, calling for the hiring of 181 officers this year, so what are you telling me?” Polsensek said.
Last October, a mother also saw the need for more officers.
"No kid should have to worry about coming outside if that's going to be their last time to be outside to play,” the mother said. It was her message to city leaders after a shooting down the street from where her children played.
“They want visibility, they want traffic enforcement,” Polensek said. Last December, the city fast-tracked applicants through an expedited hiring event. Drummond says some of the recruits came out of that.
But he also credited pay incentives and the maximum age increase.
“We have 10 recruits in the current class that’s over 40 years of age which is significant,” Drummond said.
Councilman Polensek is troubled that the new officers won’t start until the end of the year.
“We see the growing violence, the anarchy, the chaos, and you’re only going to hire 52. I applaud the 52, but what about the rest of the 130?” Polsensek said.
Officials are optimistic, considering they have 52 in the first class of 2024 and that the budget calls for 180.
They hope to seat the next academy by mid to late summer.
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For additional coverage of CPD's staffing levels, read more in our Dangerously Understaffed section.
