[{"_1":2,"_121":-5,"_122":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,97,109],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6388184,"mediaKeyId","2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636","parentId",2115192,"title","Cleveland police say drone program ready but Community Police Commission limits and DOJ review have paused broader use","audioSeconds",606,"startMs",1734000,"endMs",2340000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636&start=1734&end=2340","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636/thumbnail_1734000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6388184/Cleveland/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Cleveland-police-say-drone-program-ready-but-Community-Police-Commission-limits-and-DOJ-review-have-paused-broader-use","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6388184-82978a0e98c4efe10cb148c1a65e7817/orig.mp4?Expires=1773703607&Signature=lEaZvNQJSeYy6u57dMBM9lG2nRxlIwYYSEWFEiKRw9FsJeb0QHj8aoq1MOYV0J86WpMxvyDwCa7rO1eBZIbAURUlbJUv-FQclgFhWEXFuTW1hdtpu-v8s4Rx5gskozHOaJql9BM90VseY4iaScWLTD472KXqTxZ6w1lYXDzeMaBPaf4fiTXf~y-KwjYjGu3D4N60HTrcxtZxuA2C3-ZvK44gs-7mfpDnL9jSRJvpyGOxx5wky73smmu~N1GTqVZ4ypqsXTn2n0paBdC2KqnOqWjAT-~O-Wj7azcdkt1hwya0imQVQ9kXtqKqYz67KvwxTIRldtvGF1IDucZClwgthw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Cleveland OH","date","2025-01-15T13:37:51Z","article","Committee members and police leaders discussed the status of an approved police drone program and a policy that would govern its deployment.

The Division of Police confirmed the department purchased the drones and completed a draft policy reflecting national best practices. The policy was reviewed by the Community Police Commission (CPC), which approved it but added limitations the division says would hinder effective operational use — for example, restrictions on using drones to monitor crowds. Chief Todd said the CPC-approved policy was then forwarded to the U.S. Department of Justice monitoring team for further review; the division has paused additional deployments until the DOJ and the CPC complete their review.

Police leaders described a limited operational test during a protest route: the certified operator obtained FAA clearance for a planned deployment, launched a drone to test capabilities, and used it briefly to assess the crowd and movement. That deployment drew public criticism from the CPC; after the CPC publicly condemned the use, the police suspended further deployments until the DOJ and the CPC complete their review of the draft policy and any recommended changes.

Council members argued the limitations would prevent police from using drones to assist officers during violent or dangerous crowd incidents. The chair and multiple council members said they support the department’s ability to use drones for officer safety, search-and-rescue, crowd-size assessment and crime scene documentation. Chief Todd and the director said they would continue working with the CPC and planned to ask the DOJ monitoring team for a timeline. Members urged a joint public conversation including police, the CPC and council to clarify operational expectations.

Police emphasized FAA clearance and operational planning are required for deployments, and that the drones are envisioned as a camera-angle tool — not a surveillance program to replace other accountability measures. No legislative action was taken at the committee meeting; the CPC-DOJ review remains outstanding.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Safety Committee, Jan. 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Police told the committee they have purchased drones and drafted a policy but that restrictive amendments from the Community Police Commission and an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice review have delayed operational use beyond a brief, contested test deployment at a protest.","taxTitle","Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio","taxId",2662,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":44,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6388187,"Public safety committee presses Cleveland police on vehicles in Cuyahoga River after delayed removals",711,1023000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636&start=1023&end=1734","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636/thumbnail_1023000.jpg","/articles/6388187/Cleveland/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Public-safety-committee-presses-Cleveland-police-on-vehicles-in-Cuyahoga-River-after-delayed-removals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6388187-4fd3773140bac6fa249aca6f4bb0793e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773703607&Signature=SR7MrSN1DB61CObYnidkVOCLN7SX3dunyMsgblXzYrD5vXFfyLB07ikHlh~ZZbjh~jneIEDqpxbgxUWrxvgD~xa-zGBxh~n38dj7Vj6J1RTMfp~PeOhwVSMLqsTRRnsY-LEDaSjiUFpwpKdIWq0vfhP0vZ2qVCpNPeCUTE8LFkPSdKVSPpJ2W0m0vXi9H4gFE2BnKwZQk4fe1OjqW-F44ZI6n0BlGXCdzQd8H9Freyd7LxSkQ9-VLM5JbSyXJqTjK1zj2FMt9OrMeAamEO9r1ACxNlln-rPWSZCbMvxUf~u52nHHq3FxO4jRwWBZoAw71zaDULMdS1jFR1TifvXYZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members pressed the Cleveland Division of Police on why two vehicles that Ohio Department of Natural Resources personnel identified in the Cuyahoga River in May were not removed until October, and what the department is doing to recover other vehicles known to be submerged.

The committee heard that ODNR identified multiple vehicles on sonar in May and that two vehicles were removed months later as part of an ODNR training exercise. Chief Todd and police staff said the removals required months of planning, specialized equipment and qualified contractors; one of the two removed vehicles was linked to a stolen-vehicle report and another was connected to a nonfatal shooting. Chief Todd said the department has no current investigative leads tying the remaining submerged vehicles to a homicide or missing-person investigation that would justify an immediate, expanded recovery operation.

Committee members, including the council chair and Councilman Jones, pressed police leaders for a timeline and asked whether property owners where vehicles are being deposited should be required to secure river access. The chair relayed concerns from a young man’s grandmother, who remains distraught and wants a prompt search effort. The chair said the city law department and building and housing should notify property owners who provide easy river access and consider bollards, fences or gates to reduce illegal vehicle dumping.

Deputy Chief Pillow and Captain Simon explained that the division does not maintain a full-time dive/recovery unit; the ports-and-harbors function is a call-up unit. When ODNR removed the two vehicles during a scheduled training operation, ODNR absorbed the direct removal cost so the activity could proceed as part of that exercise. Police said they have the ability to contract for dive and recovery services when an investigation indicates it is necessary, but they do not have capacity to recover every old vehicle reported in the river without outside assistance.

Police representatives told the committee some vehicles in the river have been there for “several years,” and that weather and diver safety also constrain recovery windows. Committee members reiterated liability concerns if a vehicle still in the river contains a missing person and asked police to coordinate with the law department, building and housing, and county and state partners to identify property owners along likely access points.

Police said they will continue to work with ODNR, the U.S. Coast Guard and other partners, and will refer property-access and security questions to the law and building departments for possible civil remedies to secure riverbank access.

The committee did not adopt a new formal directive during the update; members asked for follow-up information and coordination plans from police and city attorneys.","Council members pressed the Cleveland Division of Police on why city and state officials identified submerged vehicles in the Cuyahoga River in May but two were not removed until October, and what steps the department will take to recover other vehicles sonar-identified in the water.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":92,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6388173,"Public Safety Committee approves multiple enforcement and victim-services grants, extends towing contracts; bomb-trailer request held for follow-up",0,3697000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636&start=3697&end=3697","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636/thumbnail_3697000.jpg","/articles/6388173/Cleveland/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Public-Safety-Committee-approves-multiple-enforcement-and-victim-services-grants-extends-towing-contracts-bomb-trailer-request-held-for-follow-up","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6388173-70d67c8ceb4550a1b5afb7747f87fad9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773703607&Signature=CdmgGmlHD26zaaiDGANCkEY26ok9XDKKvD-Zr7GOWNlhUgYdivK8JtP8DQsYdCSBlvyRxf572uEVdvzCRvf1kCFT9v5oT1KaikZhSOcHotrMO-1QN0KU~n4lY81Jk~zWoidlDFPRwRHBG6y07NEZsBtbsrxDcxd~TvyibYRS5QCdLxf0wY~flVndbV556UgqHb9jhmbx4bODcOLwNZW8JnbnowUByZ7wMdewrXZQSNNZQhrdf86vPBbX~tkgp6qyC4TgnrbCRMhj6Hin8fN90ndSQ73zi5ngFlO7NzVfjNgkllUqoVQ8DGl20Ok2t4k5DbQchZY0~NXmhNYaqXOZYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cleveland City Council Public Safety Committee considered and acted on several ordinances authorizing grants and contract renewals. Where the committee voted, members approved the items as described in the ordinance readings; one item (UASI bomb-trailer equipment) was held for follow-up details.

Votes and key details \"at a glance\":

- Ordinance 1350-2024 (Byrne Justice Assistance Grant, fiscal year 2024): Approved as read. Grant amount approximately $630,689. The city was selected as fiscal agent for Cuyahoga County and partner cities; the city’s portion was listed as $465,500 for personnel (four fingerprint examiners and two intelligence analysts) and training travel. No local match required; grant period ends 9/30/2027.

- Ordinance 1351-2024 (Ohio Department of Public Safety impaired-driving enforcement and selective traffic enforcement program): Approved as read. Estimated grant $67,822.66 to reimburse officer overtime, education and fuel for targeted OVI and speed enforcement; no local match. Grant period through September of current year.

- Ordinance 1355-2024 (Ohio Drug Enforcement grant for Signal task force): Approved as read. Ordinance authorizes acceptance of an OCJS award reported in the discussion as $136,875.79 with a local match of $45,625.26 and total budget $182,501.05; funds support multiagency narcotics task force operations. Committee discussion included task-force seizure statistics and decreases in fatal overdoses.

- Ordinance 1356-2024 (Cuyahoga County Urban Area Security Initiative funding to acquire a bomb-squad response trailer): Held for follow-up. The director asked the committee to hold this item while bomb-squad staff confirm specifications; police said the division currently uses trucks rather than a dedicated trailer and will return with specific equipment and robot details.

- Ordinance 1357-2024 (Cuyahoga County Violence Against Women Act grants — domestic violence unit, prosecution and sexual-assault victim advocacy): Approved as read. The package includes three related awards to support detectives, prosecutors and victim advocates; grant periods and matching amounts were discussed. Committee members asked staff to clarify administrative-certificate figures in the packet before finance review.

- Ordinance 1358-2024 (Renewal of towing contracts): Approved as amended. The ordinance continues existing towing contracts under codified authority (C.O. §135.42) and adds three companies to the list; committee asked for additional information on contract history, equipment costs and the percentage of minority- or female-owned firms on the roster.

Where available, the committee did not record a roll-call vote tally in the public transcript; each ordinance above that was presented was recorded in the transcript as “approved as read” or “approved as amended” and will go forward per standard legislative practice. The committee asked staff for follow-up materials on the bomb-trailer specification, the domestic-violence grants’ administrative-certificate figures, and towing equipment costs and district-level towing and storage statistics.","The committee approved several grants — including Byrne JAG, impaired-driving enforcement, a state drug-enforcement grant and Violence Against Women Act programs — and approved an extension of towing contracts; a request to buy a bomb-squad trailer (UASI) was held for further information.",{"_33":98,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":99,"_41":100,"_43":101,"_45":102,"_47":103,"_49":104,"_51":105,"_53":106,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":107,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":108,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6388177,"Cleveland seeks state drug-enforcement funds as signal task force reports large seizures and downward overdose trend",343,5882000,6225000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636&start=5882&end=6225","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636/thumbnail_5882000.jpg","/articles/6388177/Cleveland/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Cleveland-seeks-state-drug-enforcement-funds-as-signal-task-force-reports-large-seizures-and-downward-overdose-trend","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6388177-e595ec94ececaf72ce4eab33d813c462/orig.mp4?Expires=1773703607&Signature=EkNIp1nIpotuB0LRlfEbEdDClAH8MgStlgd~VH1eKCjD9~nqEecAu5JiX6qXNBH90H8oSEYbftwbqMfHtQcCptVWs7-G61~Nm29W5f7VO6OqCIuJ9vBB04L8euPTJmPQTABVA2YmHTfRG6ggPx48Jktnh2rtzuPs6tXmPpwg7ovd6xwqr6ShE3noIIXzajnuoLigmH1iV-pTjPSYFNtKhsTKXknI5LW0v9xmHGvI4AwgsAkOKGTF5X860zXmO5eaHhZZiuAQUiKp7jElpjOJxJiAIXUIDm4sdAajBQPMPFaq7AAg3IwC0dDSBBCvktIicVjwEWjCL6-IwIMJcvW3uA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The committee considered an ordinance authorizing the director of public safety to accept a grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services to support the cartel gang narcotics and laundering task force (Signal). Police command staff detailed the grant budget, partner agencies and recent enforcement results.

The director said the proposed grant award is $136,875.79 with a required cash match of $45,625.26 and a total budget of $182,501.05; the program reimburses costs associated with a multiagency drug task force that includes FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, IRS, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Highway Patrol, county sheriff’s offices and municipal partners. The ordinance packet indicated the city has received similar funding annually since 2005.

Sergeant Michael McNeely (narcotics) reported 2024 results: the task force seized roughly $528,000 in assets so far; seized fentanyl pill doses totaled 21,866 unit doses and fentanyl powder seizures were reported as 153 (stated in meeting as \"£153\", recorded here as discussed by the task force); methamphetamine and marijuana weights and firearms (32 firearms seized) were also reported. The sergeant noted a single prior 2024 investigation yielded a seizure of more than 600,000 pills, one of the largest seizures in the northern district of Ohio.

Deputy Chief Pillow and other staff said large narcotics seizures likely reflect distribution flows through Mexican cartels using precursor chemicals sometimes sourced from China; they emphasized federal partners (FBI-led strike force) supervise the task force and that Cleveland assigns detectives and supervisory staff to the strike force.

Public-health context: police provided fatal-overdose counts for Cleveland showing a decline from 346 fatal overdoses in 2022 to 323 in 2023 and 163 in 2024. Officials attributed part of the decline to increased seizures, prevention outreach, distribution of naloxone (NARCAN) and task-force collaboration with federal partners. The committee approved the ordinance as read; staff noted grant administration details and that the local cash match would be covered by the law-enforcement trust fund.","Council heard a grant request to fund the cartel gang narcotics task force (Signal); police and task-force sergeants reported major seizures in 2024 and said fatal overdoses in Cleveland declined from 346 (2022) to 163 (2024).",{"_33":110,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":111,"_41":112,"_43":113,"_45":114,"_47":115,"_49":116,"_51":117,"_53":118,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":119,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":120,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6388181,"Cleveland police report hiring gains; council presses for more traffic enforcement and neighborhood focus",805,2445000,3250000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636&start=2445&end=3250","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115192-17817006a33897829ce21ec3a4790636/thumbnail_2445000.jpg","/articles/6388181/Cleveland/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Cleveland-police-report-hiring-gains-council-presses-for-more-traffic-enforcement-and-neighborhood-focus","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6388181-a649685d7bd094ed7df2e79289cb62ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1773703607&Signature=HMA3IDqw3qQB8z3L0L0C9A-l7O7odmjEYAmtXlom3mSp6UghOPl6M4AYvvOUYGztxwCQtifElh4t9l9KdusRaM1jT8D6Kmifgq3FljGhkiJJiJLadoKi2ZbRnj-m2SuAySJ37VtSTJ~uclNtFhwHqUxgwAlE3On4yr5lEdgA9FVm-We-ZTbvhglorJRSPGtJm~WLfrdvi4nESZy6wF3575hk01wQEctO4YqYo3Yqe40JmIuQy9TkSHwKFhkYvc2J2PMxBr0F5D0CA5ymXqYOG4JC2N-DQmoufcXOF3bwhJNw~imHo5PNA3wUH8eH2L0rtHN3PLMo9GI1uNu2dwgVHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Police and city officials updated the committee on recruitment results and traffic-enforcement capacity, and council members urged a stronger, neighborhood-focused enforcement plan.

Chief Todd and senior staff said the division currently lists 1,137 sworn officers and has 81 recruits in the police academy, bringing the total projected sworn count to about 1,218 once recruits graduate. The department reported a successful hiring event in January that produced roughly 136 conditional offers; the new class(s) are slated to begin and graduate in April (chair and staff cited April 25 and April 28 dates for academy activity, and the chief said the class scheduled to start from the recent hiring event will begin late April). The division said it will continue quarterly hiring events and may request additional budgetary authority to increase class capacity; the department’s current budgeted authorized headcount was stated as 1,350 officers.

Committee members pressed police and the director of public safety to apply new hires toward traffic enforcement in neighborhoods. Council members described frequent constituent complaints about speeding and unsafe driving, and they said speed tables alone are not a comprehensive remedy. Officials explained that traffic enforcement requires a combination of strategies: enforcement, traffic-calming infrastructure (speed tables, re-timed signals), environmental street design, and community ownership. Commissioner Holmes (traffic) explained that each patrol district maintains two dedicated traffic cars and that the centralized traffic unit fields roughly 21 vehicles plus over 20 motorcycles for summer operations; the traffic unit reported writing about 12,000 tickets in the prior year. Council members asked police and administration to return with a multi-year comparison of moving-violation enforcement and related revenue, and to explore ways to keep traffic enforcement in neighborhoods rather than shaving resources downtown where special events demand coverage.

Police and council members discussed the cost and limits of speed tables (speakers gave an approximate range of $8,000 per installation depending on street width), the impact of large downtown events on district-level capacity and the potential to expand interagency initiatives like Ohio State Highway Patrol enforcement details during high-need periods. The chief said the department will continue to prioritize traffic concerns, pursue interagency partners and review deployment choices as hiring expands.

No legislation was adopted at this update; committee members requested follow-up data and asked the department to study district-level traffic coverage and possible reallocation of enforcement resources.","Police told the committee the department currently has 1,137 sworn officers and 81 recruits in the academy; council members urged using new hires to expand traffic enforcement in neighborhoods and asked for data to guide resource decisions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cleveland police say drone program ready but Community Police Commission limits and DOJ review have paused broader use

Public safety committee presses Cleveland police on vehicles in Cuyahoga River after delayed removals

Public Safety Committee approves multiple enforcement and victim-services grants, extends towing contracts; bomb-trailer request held for follow-up

Cleveland seeks state drug-enforcement funds as signal task force reports large seizures and downward overdose trend

Cleveland police report hiring gains; council presses for more traffic enforcement and neighborhood focus