[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6267089,"mediaKeyId","3077389-f33f9f71b8fd0cf7603166ee63b36c96","parentId",3077389,"title","Residents and a former police commissioner urge Cleveland Council to pause police drone program, cite consent-decree oversight concerns","audioSeconds",1126,"startMs",1246000,"endMs",2372000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3077389-f33f9f71b8fd0cf7603166ee63b36c96&start=1246&end=2372","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3077389-f33f9f71b8fd0cf7603166ee63b36c96/thumbnail_1246000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6267089/Cleveland/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Residents-and-a-former-police-commissioner-urge-Cleveland-Council-to-pause-police-drone-program-cite-consent-decree-oversight-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6267089-fdd70bbd0c0c8586a59bd946b01d014e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440138&Signature=W3GfIU~AwiO5d04fqxKaQ0sftpJjCry7SBljuQ0PrAhFe9p2His8UvpgOo9nlQNDxlOdfcJvKBzmJ4aDcEvbx4zSVqGj7o8xT3QVQFV2A2lprszMPdJxmZYtDdV29MgxFUzaKxU25VQxT1W3CgnOto8jSSm9h4IRicd2I4rdUDgFh4anHp7NtU1gLQUk6HQEeFtzXigJL9vc6RbT4O~87SttBbIwf88Hg-1UYV3XRU0JL4mvRG7z3-Tv6oPqEXhi6Yosih82JO0KqMO30A8A2dEFaIkmM39vf9rJtynHVSDhkzvwTeJE~ji7nYiqu3C5MWGiQVq9Fxxv2XFxQyWXww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Cleveland, OH ","date","2025-04-22T08:59:09.943Z","article","At the Cleveland City Council public-comment period, a former police commissioner and multiple residents urged the city to pause a police drone program and to increase public oversight, saying the purchase and policy expansion occurred without adequate community input.

Former Cleveland police commissioner Terry Wong told the council the administration approved $255,000 in taxpayer funds for police drones in February 2024 and urged an immediate freeze until public, technical and ethical review can take place. Wong said the purchase bypassed the community police commission and called for documents justifying the procurement to be released.

\"In February 2024, this administration approved $255,000 in taxpayer funds for police drones,\" Wong said. \"This purchase bypassed the community police commission, the body legally tasked with overseeing police policy.\" He urged the council to \"freeze the drone program until the commission with public, technical, and ethical experts ban stealth and spy tactics.\" Wong also said the drones include capabilities he called \"military grade\" and argued the devices pose risks to civil liberties.

Other public speakers connected the drone question to the city's long-running consent-decree oversight. Brenda Bickerstaff, identified in public comment as representing Citizens for Safer Cleveland (Ward 9), said the consent decree is an important issue that requires a meeting between the law director, the chief, the monitor and the safety director to address compliance questions. Mount Pleasant resident Jimmy Gates asked the council to stay focused on the expensive consequences of oversight and cautioned about calls for the monitor’s resignation without full facts.

Councilmember Michael Polencic addressed the broader oversight question later in the meeting, describing progress under the consent-decree process while also noting the financial cost. \"As of the sixteenth, I believe it's the sixteenth, we have spent 46,000,000 approximately on police oversight,\" Polencic said, adding his view that the administration has made progress toward constitutional policing.

What was presented to council: the clerk recorded a communication from the independent monitoring team — \"File number 5522025 from the independent monitoring team for the consent decree, the sixteenth semiannual report, 06/01/2024 through 12/31/2024\" — as an item received by council during the communications portion of the meeting. That filing was read into the record by the clerk.

Discussion, directions and decisions: speakers urged a pause of drone deployment, requested public release of procurement and policy documents, and called for the community police commission and independent technical experts to be involved. No formal council action to freeze the drone program or to require additional reporting was recorded in the meeting minutes or roll-call votes.

Why it matters: speakers said drone capabilities and procurement bypassing oversight bodies raise civil-liberties and community-trust concerns, while council members emphasized both progress under the consent decree and the financial cost of oversight.

Proponents' specific requests included:
- Freeze the drone program pending review by the community police commission and public technical experts. (Terry Wong)
- Release procurement documents and justifications for the use of drones in crowd management and neighborhood patrols. (Terry Wong)
- Convene a meeting of the law director, police chief, monitor, and safety director to explain barriers to consent-decree compliance. (Brenda Bickerstaff)

No council motion or vote on a freeze was recorded.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cleveland City Council Meeting, April 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During public comment, former police commissioner Terry Wong and residents urged the council to freeze a drone program purchased with city funds and to involve the community police commission and independent monitors; speakers also raised broader concerns about the federal consent decree and police oversight spending.","taxTitle","Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio","taxId",2662,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6267094,"Cleveland City Council approves multiple emergency ordinances and resolutions in unanimous votes",350,3382000,3732000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3077389-f33f9f71b8fd0cf7603166ee63b36c96&start=3382&end=3732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3077389-f33f9f71b8fd0cf7603166ee63b36c96/thumbnail_3382000.jpg","/articles/6267094/Cleveland/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Cleveland-City-Council-approves-multiple-emergency-ordinances-and-resolutions-in-unanimous-votes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6267094-59714d148ab51d9273b82c9ee738f22a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440138&Signature=Na9Qd6saf-3r~PYog-ANdnE5AfmIjt7KeZ3Kyw7X0FA4GYRttuJxb6LBBQLNeNHx0-q3jxTIPtol1ZAdT~HxIv6BDoCnD087~ZNZ8sBibkOftdBPSjKxrqGK9ydlEQjiwgGaIPDXgOt-p5c1fCZjk4~~EKFq77pbCCxVYVqfkEIZAx4smrE1dh1LnvBa5Fi1dnb5dVMjGxKlMKJ0qsznOZnVoZS9LPhAvyAPMGHcKRwAkjrIfHILfZQl0Ug7MCqHMLWhUoU7H8gPd6z4Ex27w4Eq3eN3aoZBvtUhm3sKFBXU1RcyoF0CiPmpe0SJb~5hfNYwxotV9WMqsTd44~aY~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cleveland City Council voted unanimously on a package of emergency ordinances and resolutions during its April meeting, approving measures that range from authorizing temporary use of the council chamber for a film to contracts for utility and public-safety projects.

The council recorded 16 yeas on multiple suspension-of-rules motions that moved several items to final passage, with councilmember Moore moving the suspensions and councilmember Santana seconding the motions.

Among measures adopted on final passage were: an agreement authorizing temporary use of the council chamber for filming; neighborhood safety and community program contracts funded with ward equity or casino revenue funds; amendments and second-reading emergency ordinances concerning criminal-nuisance enforcement; and contracts for airport safety equipment and water-service-line replacement work. Roll-call tallies for the recorded final-passage votes list the following members as voting \"yea\": Council President Blaine A. Griffin; Councilmembers Bishop, Conwell, Gray, Hairston, Harsh, House Jones, Jones, Casey, Kelly, Moore, McCormack, Polencic, Santana, Slife and Spencer; and Star.

Why it matters: the ordinances authorize contracts and funding flows that enable immediate departmental activity (consultants, equipment purchases, neighborhood programming, and technical systems) and change administrative authorities the city uses to manage utilities, public safety, and capital projects. Several items were advanced under emergency designations and therefore take effect on the timetable set in the legislation.

Votes and key items (text condensed from the clerk’s reading):

- Ordinance 5-35-2025 (final passage): Authorizes the clerk of council to enter into an agreement with Shoestring Productions for temporary use of the council chamber for filming scenes. Motion to suspend rules moved by Councilmember Moore; seconded by Councilmember Santana. Vote: 16 yeas. Outcome: approved.

- Ordinance 5-36-2025 (final passage): Authorizes Department of Public Safety to enter an agreement with the Famicos Foundation to provide an East 105th safety and security program through Ward 9 Neighborhood Equity Funds. Motion to suspend rules moved by Councilmember Moore; seconded by Councilmember Santana. Vote: 16 yeas. Outcome: approved.

- Ordinance 5-37-2025 (final passage): Authorizes Department of Public Health to enter an agreement with Thrive for Change to provide community overdose prevention and outreach using Ward 15 casino revenue funds. Motion to suspend rules moved by Councilmember Moore; seconded by Councilmember Santana. Vote: 16 yeas. Outcome: approved.

- Resolutions adopted (final passage): Resolution 5-38-2025 (fixing 2025 summer meeting schedule) and Resolution 5-39-2025 (recognizing April 22, 2025 as Earth Day), and an objection resolution (file number referenced by councilmember House Jones) regarding a liquor permit transfer to 3704 Superior Avenue. Motion to suspend rules moved by Councilmember Moore; seconded by Councilmember Santana. Vote on suspension and on adoption: 16 ayes. Outcome: adopted.

- Second-reading emergency ordinances passed (final passage): Ordinance 2-28-2025 (as amended) amending codified nuisance enforcement and cost of enforcement; Ordinance 3-30-2025 authorizing the director of public safety to contract with Case Western Reserve University for data collection and analysis for the Division of Police; and Ordinance 3-78-2025 authorizing the parks and recreation director to contract with the Cleveland Municipal Football League for a citywide youth football program. Motion to suspend rules moved by Councilmember Moore; seconded by Councilmember Santana. Vote: 16 ayes. Outcome: approved.

What the roll calls recorded: the clerk read unanimous roll-call tallies (16 yeas) on the suspension motions and on final passage where recorded; the recorded roll-call participants match the attendance roll the clerk called earlier in the meeting.

Background details and next steps: many of the measures were introduced earlier in the meeting as first- and second-reading emergency ordinances and referred for administrative or committee review before being placed on final passage. Several ordinances authorize departmental contracts or permit the city to accept loans or grant funds for water-line replacement, airport friction-measuring equipment, and consultant services for utility billing systems. Departments named in the readings include Public Utilities, Port Control (airports), Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Public Health and Capital Projects.

The council adjourned to its next regular meeting on April 28, 2025.","At its meeting, Cleveland City Council placed several first- and second-reading emergency ordinances and resolutions on final passage and adopted them by recorded roll calls of 16–0. Measures cover temporary council chamber use for filming, neighborhood funds, public-safety agreements, youth programs and amendments to nuisance and utility rules.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents and a former police commissioner urge Cleveland Council to pause police drone program, cite consent-decree oversight concerns

Cleveland City Council approves multiple emergency ordinances and resolutions in unanimous votes