During a court status hearing held yesterday, Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr. commended the City for its continued progress toward substantial and effective compliance across all areas of the Consent Decree
March 19, 2026 — Cleveland — The City of Cleveland is proud to report 29 compliance upgrades in the Independent Federal Monitoring Team’s 18th Semiannual Report —one of the strongest in the City’s Consent Decree’s history— validating substantial, measurable progress in constitutional policing.
The findings in this report reflect meaningful progress and our ongoing commitment to strengthening Cleveland’s policing and accountability systems,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “I am grateful for the engagement and dedication of our residents, the Monitoring Team, the Court, the Police Accountability Team, and the Division of Police. Together, this shared effort is helping ensure that the reforms we have implemented are lasting and that Cleveland continues building a stronger, more accountable Division of Police."
Findings in the 18th Semiannual Report are based on extensive reviews of real-world performance and demonstrate that CDP’s constitutional-policing systems are operating effectively, are being actively supervised, and are increasingly capable of identifying and correcting issues internally.
The report highlights positive growth across five key sections:
- Community Engagement & Building Trust – The Monitor noted the efforts of the Police Accountability Team (PAT) and Community Police Commission (CPC) to work together to improve the efficiency and compliance of document requests. Additionally, the CPC is engaging the community through public meetings and reviewing policies and training from CDP.
- Accountability – The Internal Affairs Unit is commended for making notable progress in implementing and delivering training for all members, consistently onboarding new investigators in alignment with the Consent Decree requirements, and producing monthly reports detailing the unit’s activities and adherence to the paragraph requirements. Additionally, both the Office of Professional Standards (OPS) and the Civilian Police Review Board (CPRB) have adopted working manuals and ongoing training is provided.
- Transparency & Oversight – The Monitor recognized the substantial effort by CDP to produce public datasets and dashboards regarding use of force and crisis intervention as well as internal dashboards related to data integrity.
- Officer Assistance & Support – With 3 of the 7 comprehensive assessments filed by the Monitor relating to subsections Training, Equipment & Resources, and Recruitment & Hiring, significant growth has been assessed in this area. Recruitment & Hiring saw additional compliance upgrades due to process improvements implemented by CDP.
- Supervision – The Monitor noted policies and training related to supervisory expectations are in place. Through the filed assessments, the Monitor was also able to assess that supervisors appear to be engaged in incidents, and most reviews are conducted appropriately and consistently with expectations.
During a status hearing held yesterday in United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr. commended the City for its continued progress toward substantial and effective compliance across all areas of the Consent Decree, while also addressing key opportunities for improvement. The Court further expressed appreciation for the collaborative working relationship among the City, the Department of Justice, and the Monitor, as well as for the increased delivery of compliance assessments.
“We are now at a point where reforms enacted years ago are finally being recognized for the change and growth they created,” said Dr. Leigh Anderson, Police Accountability Team Executive Director. “The recognition is appreciated and we continue our commitment to transparent collaboration and sustaining these reforms.”
In addition to the 29 compliance upgrades reflected in the report, the City recently received 144 additional compliance upgrades across seven Compliance Assessments filed by the independent Federal Monitoring Team—one of the most significant milestones achieved to date. These 173 compliance upgrades recognize the City’s progress in implementing reforms, institutionalizing new practices, and strengthening the Cleveland Division of Police’s commitment to constitutional policing.
“I am truly grateful for every member of our Division of Police, whose hard work, care, and dedication make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people of Cleveland each day,” said Chief Dorothy Todd. “I also want to sincerely thank the Police Accountability Team, the Monitoring Team, and the Mayor’s administration for their continued support and partnership. Together, we remain deeply committed to our community—listening, building trust, and serving Cleveland with compassion, professionalism, and integrity.”
The Mayor’s Police Accountability Team also reported to the Court on new partnerships with Kent State University, along with Cleveland-based community leaders and the Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office, to advance an initiative focused on strengthening trust, enhancing collaboration, and promoting accountability between the Cleveland Division of Police and residents across the city.
The initiative is supported by a monetary engagement award from Kent State University’s Community Engaged Research Institute (CERI). The funding will support the pilot program, which was developed jointly by Kent State researchers and the City of Cleveland’s Police Accountability Team (PAT) in an effort to improve police–community relationships and build sustainable strategies for public safety collaboration.
The program will bring these partners together for regular sessions where topics will include partnership in public service, problem-oriented policing, conflict management, environmental peacebuilding, leadership and project management, and strategies for strengthening collaboration between law enforcement and community stakeholders.
Researchers will conduct surveys of Cleveland residents and host listening sessions across the city’s five police districts to better understand community perceptions of safety, accountability, and trust in the Cleveland Division of Police. The findings will inform future improvements.
Ongoing community input, city leadership, and academic research, demonstrate the Mayor and his administration’s commitment to fulfilling the obligations of the Consent Decree through a coordinated, all-of-government approach. This strategy is focused on identifying practical, evidence-based solutions that build trust and improve public safety outcomes for Cleveland residents.
These partnerships represent a meaningful opportunity to deepen collaboration between law enforcement and the communities they serve, advance ongoing reform efforts, rebuild public trust, and invest in safer, more resilient neighborhoods.
