Cleveland mayor won’t say if city plans to help county pay for downtown patrols: I-Team
CLEVELAND (WJW) – The Fox 8 I-Team is going directly to Cleveland’s mayor with questions concerning your safety.
We asked the mayor if the city will help cover the costs of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Downtown Safety Patrol.
The mayor responded without answering the question.
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“Well, as I discussed with the county executive and the county sheriff, everyone recognizes that a thriving Cleveland makes a thriving region,” Mayor Justin Bibb said. “And I got commitments from both the county executive and county sheriff to support law enforcement on all things downtown safety, as well as other crime happening across the city as well, too.”
Last summer, downtown Cleveland had a rash of violent crimes, including a mass shooting.
Cleveland police are short staffed, so to help reduce the violence the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department started a downtown safety patrol. The sheriff and the Cuyahoga County Executive told us the plan worked.
“It’s important that our citizens and visitors downtown know that there is an element of safety there,” Sheriff Harold Pretel said. “The sheriff department is providing that with the downtown safety patrol.”
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Since the sheriff’s downtown safety patrol started in August, deputies have made dozens of arrests, confiscated illegal drugs and have also taken more than 100 guns out of the hands of felons.
But some Cuyahoga County Council members questioned the cost the county is paying to provide the services, and question why the city is not helping fund the program.
We even asked the mayor a second time, during a press conference he held on the city’s safety plan. But again, we did not get a direct answer.
“As I said before the county executive and the county sheriff have committed to supporting Cleveland on all law enforcement efforts,” the mayor responded.
The mayor’s new summer safety plan, which was started by former Safety Advisor Phil McHugh, includes helping to reduce violent crime all over the city. McHugh told the I-Team earlier this month that the plan will include all city departments.
McHugh, a former college roommate of the mayor, resigned earlier this month, after some council members demanded he resign or be fired due to a civil right lawsuit that was filed against him years ago when he was a detective in Washington D.C.
McHugh was dismissed from the lawsuit and the city and plaintiff settled.
“I’m proud of what I accomplished in my time with the city, especially leading the team that worked on this innovative summer safety plan,” McHugh told the I-Team. “This effort goes beyond police work – leveraging data and engaging the whole-of -government in a focused, flexible , and responsive manner. I’m confident that Mayor Bibb’s team will continue to do everything possible to keep Clevelanders safe.”
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