August 11, 2020

ACS Northeast Ohio: Police Reform in Practice – An Update on Efforts to Reform the Cleveland Police Force


After a U.S. Department of Justice investigation found that the Cleveland police engaged in a “pattern and practice” of excessive force, the City of Cleveland entered into a consent decree with the Department of Justice. The consent decree subjected the Cleveland police force to a federal monitor empowered to reform the force. Federal oversight began in May 2015, with the intention of completing the necessary reforms in five years. Today, however, the reforms are not complete, and the monitoring process is expected to continue.

Join the ACS Northeast Ohio Chapter, the ACS Columbus Lawyer Chapter, the ACS Knoxville Lawyer Chapter, and the ACS Los Angeles Lawyer Chapter for a conversation about the Cleveland consent decree. Our panelists will discuss the progress made under the consent decree and the work that remains. This program will give real life insight into the process of police reform and what we can do to make Cleveland a safe and welcoming place for everyone.

Featuring:

Gordon Friedman, Partner, Friedman & Gilbert; Commissioner, Cleveland Community Police Commission
Ayesha Bell Hardaway, Assistant Professor of Law and Director of the Social Justice Law Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Law; Deputy Monitor, Independent Monitoring Team
Carole S. Rendon, Partner, Baker Hostetler; Former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio

Moderated By:

Michael D. Meuti, Partner and Chair of Appellate Practice Group, Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP; Immediate Past President, ACS Northeast Ohio Chapter Board of Directors

ACS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It does not support political parties or candidates for public office.