The 13-member Cleveland Community Police Commission will seat six or seven brand new members in January. That’s because only one of the five active current commissioners wants to return. Two of those not returning described frustrations with the city.
Commission co-chair John Adams and commissioners Piet van Lier, Imoh Umosen and James Chura passed on the chance to seek another term. Also not re-upping: Commissioner Audrianna Rodriguez, who’s been AWOL most of the year, and Luther Roddy, who was appointed but never joined.
Reasons why commissioners are stepping away
“I don’t know where to start,” said Adams when asked about stepping away.
He went on to list examples of what he considers disrespect and a general lack of support from the city, including Mayor Justin Bibb not acting when asked to remove commissioner; the administration seeking an end to the consent decree without consulting the commission; and the heated battle over legal representation that followed…