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Cleveland hearing on "Tanisha’s Law" spotlights split over new crisis-response department
Summary
Council sponsors pressed to create a Department of Community Crisis Response to embed nonpolice crisis teams in city government; the administration supports the goal but says the city should first complete a call‑type analysis and avoid creating a standalone department now. Council asked for budgets, job descriptions and call data before moving forward.
CLEVELAND — Council members and public witnesses on the City Council’s Public Safety Committee on Monday debated an emergency ordinance known as "Tanisha’s Law" that would create a Department of Community Crisis Response and codify unarmed, clinician-led care-response teams.
Sponsors including Councilwoman House Jones said the ordinance would establish permanent infrastructure, require data reporting and training, and give the city control of programs now run by third parties. "Unless we put the structures in place with legislation, we will never get there," House Jones said, urging a city department that would house clinicians, supervisors and data functions.
The administration, represented by Director of Public Safety Wayne Drummond and assistant director Jason Schachner, said it supports the law’s intent but warned a standalone cabinet-level department would create duplicate bureaucracy and be premature…
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