CPC's Actions Run Contradictory to Trauma-Informed Approaches Embraced by Other Organizations
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 — Cleveland — The City released the following statement in response to the press release that the Community Police Commission (CPC) issued yesterday:
This message, on its face, is fundamentally-misinformed. As the entity that is responsible for police policy, the CPC should understand these types of complaints are referred outside of the Division of Police to the City’s Department of Human Resources (see relevant GPOs below).
Our Police Accountability Team already identified this issue last month – which prompted us to immediately refer it for independent investigation to the Inspector General’s Office. The CPC was apprised of the issue at that time, rendering yesterday's message as a mere amplification of something we are already working to address. We have identified procedures that can be better refined to ensure a more efficient process moving forward. The City takes all allegations very seriously and, as previously mentioned, has already referred this issue for an independent review.
The general standard is to maintain confidentiality to the best degree possible when it comes to HR complaints. The CPC disregarded these standards that other organizations follow. What they chose to do yesterday by publicly releasing identities of both complainants and those they accuse was a highly inappropriate way of handling sensitive information. They were provided these documents in a good faith partnership to help them complete their duties and responsibilities that are legally-required by the charter.
Their actions do not follow a trauma-informed lens and are completely contradictory to best practices when it comes to handling extremely-sensitive matters. The individuals who filed these complaints felt like they were wronged and were brave enough to speak up. The weaponization of this information is not only wholly inappropriate, but may have a chilling effect on our workplace environment as it was a clear breach of trust. With several new commissioners coming on board, we hope that the CPC will focus on collaborating TOGETHER rather than amplifying already-known problems that further pushes everyone apart.
