The fulfillment of this position will increase the City’s compliance with multiple benchmarks of the consent decree
Friday, December 6, 2024 – Cleveland – The City of Cleveland announced Shayleen Agarwal as the new Inspector General (IG) for the Department of Public Safety. Agarwal has several years of experience in auditing and monitoring law enforcement oversight work across multiple cities including Chicago, Seattle, Oakland, Portland, and, most recently, San Jose, California – serving as a Senior Program Performance Auditor for the Office of the City Auditor. In that role, Agarwal has developed audit programs, updated numerous City policies, implemented key trainings, led important office initiatives focused on public safety, conducted various data-driven analyses, and helped publish multiple reports leading to significant improvements across the city.
Over the last decade, Agarwal has held various positions responsible for compliance work in many large urban cities. Agarwal was a Performance Analyst in the Office of Inspector General for Public Safety for the City of Chicago – leading reviews of the Police Department’s operations, policies, and programs, while also developing accountability reforms. In Seattle, as a Policy Director for their Community Police Commission, Agarwal conducted policy research and analysis on various policing topics that included stops and detentions, bias-free policing, and crowd management. As Policy Director, Agarwal also developed long-term community engagement strategies that helped improve relationships within the commission, city administration, city council, and community stakeholders. Agarwal then took on the role of Chief of Audits and Evaluations for the City of Oakland’s Office of Inspector General to conduct impartial reviews and objective audits of the department’s finances and key police performance measures in accordance with their city’s charter and ordinances. Agarwal has also subcontracted as a compliance officer and community liaison assisting the City of Portland with oversight work related to use of force, crisis intervention, training, outreach efforts, and other areas.
Agarwal is currently a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement, the Association of Local Government Auditors, and the Association of Inspectors General. Agarwal earned a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Adler University, holds dual Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Sociology from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and also holds a certification from Cornell University.
Agarwal was selected following a thorough interview process that included members from the Department of Public Safety, Department of Law, and Police Accountability Team, along with input from the Community Police Commission who not only was involved throughout the entire process per the Charter, but also agreed that Agarwal was the strongest candidate who was interviewed.
The IG works in the Mayor’s Office but reports directly to the Director of Public Safety, per the consent decree. They are tasked with performing policy compliance audits, analyzing investigations conducted by the Office of Professional Standards, assessing disciplinary trends within the Division, and making recommendations concerning procedures, practices, and training, among other various duties. The IG’s responsibilities align with the other layers of police oversight in Cleveland, whose mission is to increase accountability and improve public confidence in policing.
Agarwal will begin in her new role on December 16. The fulfillment of the IG position will satisfy the City’s compliance with multiple paragraphs of the consent decree. The City of Cleveland looks forward to furthering its public safety services and police accountability efforts.
