Rules Committee Meeting

Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC)

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024
6:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. EST

3631 Perkins Avenue Cleveland, OH 44114 (Directions)

Community Police Commission office, 4th Floor (or watch on YouTube)

The Rules Committee is a committee of Cleveland Community Police Commission members. It is responsible for the oversight of the CPC’s rules. Find the CPC’s rules here: https://clecpc.org/wp-content/uploads/CPC-Operations-Manual-2023-Section-1-and-Partial-Section-2-Approved-August-2023.pdf

Committee members:

Teri Wang, chair
Shandra Benito
Charles Donaldson
Piet van Lier
Sharena Zayed

Find livestreams of this meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/@ClevelandCPC/streams

Agenda: When we see an agenda, we will update the assignment information. But, keep an eye out for an agenda closer to the meeting here and beneath the “News and Announcements” section on the commission’s homepage.

Note: There is a push from some commission members to remove Teri Wang from the commission. That effort stalled – for the moment – at the full commission’s last meeting. It could come up at this committee meeting. Signal’s Stephanie Casanova has more details: https://signalcleveland.org/community-police-commission-debates-removing-member/

Find Documenters coverage of past Community Police Commission meetings here.

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Cleveland - OH Documenters Team

Note-taking by Timothy Zelina

Rules Committee votes out its chair

View notes

Live reporting by Christina Easter

Committee chair removed

Coffee @CoffeeDocuments

Good evening Cleveland and beyond! I will be live tweeting the Cleveland Community Police Commission meeting starting at 6:00 pm. #CLEDocumenters @cledocumenters @signalcleveland
Watch now or later on TV20 or here

youtube.com/@ClevelandCPC/…

04:58 PM Feb 7, 2024 CST

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland A copy of the agenda can be obtained here -

clecpc.org/resources/meet…

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The main that will be discussed this evening is Bylaw 1.4.5 related to committees the Commission shall have at a minimum. The discipline process for commissioners may also be brought up.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Here we go with roll call (there is a quorum). The meeting starts with a vote on Leadership of the Rules - there are 2 yeas (Piet van Lier and Shandra Benito) and 1 nay (Wang). Reason for the vote is because one, the agenda of this meeting was not shared w/all committee members.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Wang replies that other obligations kept her from sharing the agenda. Benito raises that other meetings were previously canceled in which rule 1.4.5 was on the agenda for those meetings.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Teri Wang, committee chair request Roberts Rules on voting on removal of a committee leader and Martin replies that however the chair or committee was appointed you can amend it by making a motion to do so at a subsequent meeting.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland There is discussion as to whether the work of this Rules Committee is accomplishing the job it is tasked with doing.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland van Lier seconds his initial motion to rescind the Rules Committee to remove Wang as chair of the committee. Wang continues that the two people trying to remove her are also the people voting to remove her.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Benito and van Lier vote yea and Wang votes no. van Lier will lead the meeting.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next is public comment starting with Greg Levy who states that the meetings he has attended have "earth shattering" issues that should be addressed; the the committee members have been informed they do not have required docs and there was no response.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Levy continues that the Commissioners should be ashamed of themselves because their are community members who need police issues addressed; the Commissioners are an "embarrassment" and people are paying attention.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next public commenter is Cameron Damaska (hopefully that the correct spelling) states he agrees with the prior public commenter; that Benito acknowledged during the prior meeting that Wang is doing important work; that anyone watching can see Wang is doing the work.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland CD continues that the Commissioners voted to remove Wang before Public Commenters and he plans to tell everyone he knows about what is going on with the Commission.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next public commenter is Lu, who admittedly regularly attends these meetings, states this is serious work about policing not about personalities; that comprising is a skill; policing is a national crisis; none of the Commissioners have a background in the Commission's work.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Lu continues that Wang is the only Commissioner doing the work even though she has canceled meetings and when the Commission does not have many of the needed documents; that Commissioners want to use Mayor Bibb to remove her but where is your independence.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Lu continues that she is frequently stopped on the sidewalk, bus, and library and asked why do the other Commissioners stop Wang from talking; she asks some of the Commissioners to leave; that people affected by bad policing will not get their issues resolved.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next public commenter is Chris Martin who states that now van Lier and Benito have the power and he hopes it enable them to do the work that the Commission is supposed to be doing.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next public commenter thanks van Lier and Benito for their leadership; says she appreciates the work Wang does but she kinda creates her own work; the Commissioners should read the charter on removing a member; the rules are important b/c they lay the groundwork for committees.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland That's it for public comments.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next is discussion on Rule 1.4.5 on committees. Wang notes that if she leave the meeting the meeting cannot continue because there must be three committee members present. But because she doesn't believe in winning on loopholes and personalities she will stay.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The committee members discuss what's the purpose of rule - Benito and van Lier asks for what language Wang wants; Wang states she doesn't understand the language dealing with the division of labor across the commission.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The discussion moves to the minimum active committees the Commission must have - Wang suggests correcting grammatical errors and defining what oversight of the disciplinary process means; and there needs to be clarity on what responsibilities fall under which committees.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Wang makes recommendations regarding the Accountability Committee based on her experience working on this committee. Jason Goodrick, executive director states the Commission has a framework for work and work has not been taken from one committee and given to another.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Benito requests a general statement regarding sharing and using information among committees.
The commissioners consider creating an executive committee. Wang requests removing the first sentence of Rule 1.4.5 - it will be voted on later.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next the Commissioners discuss the Outreach Committee - Wang raises "high level goals and objectives" is vague and more targeted information should be obtained because around 20 officers are leaving a month; a new draft for this committee will be prepared.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next the Commissioners discuss Other Committees that may be formed or abolished as deemed necessary by the Commission - Goodrick talks about the two ways committees can be formed; the need for defining what is an Ad hoc Committee.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The Commissioners discuss whether Robert's Rules of Order, or majority vote, or other rule will be used for forming or abolishing committees and other issues that come before the Commission.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Goodrick explains that the Commission's rules override Robert's Rules.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Back to public comment with Lu who states this meeting is more productive than prior ones; work has to be more analytical; personality conflicts seem to arise because commissioners did not read materials in advance of a meeting; listening is important b/c the issues are complex.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Next public commenter Martin is back and says Lu annoys him sometimes but there is something valuable in what Lu says

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland Another public commenter, from previously, states tonight is Exhibit A for why Wang should no longer be a commissioner even though she is hard working and most of the other commissioner agree with her, it's just the execution.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The commenter suggests that Martin look at the rules again because she believes there is a misunderstanding of Robert's Rules of Order.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland van Lier states additional work needs to be done on the drafts. The next meeting is March 6 but the Commissioners schedule an interim meeting to try to pass Rule 1.4.5 for Feb. 13 from 3:00-5:00.

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@cledocumenters @signalcleveland The meeting is adjourned. Have questions? Think we got something wrong. Send questions on the meeting or tweets to @cledocumenters or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com.

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Agency Information

Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC)

See meeting notes for details

See Documenters reporting

Watch the livestream on the CPC’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ClevelandCPC/streams

The Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC) was established in 2015 as part of the terms of the Consent Decree between the City of Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Following an investigation, the DOJ determined there was a pattern of excessive force used by the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP). The Consent Decree outlined the work that needed to be done so CDP policies, practices and procedures comply with Constitutional law.

Cleveland voters approved amendments to the city’s charter in 2021 that gave the CPC final say over police discipline.

The CPC was mandated under the Consent Decree to provide community input on needed policing reforms from the many diverse communities in Cleveland:

Faith-based organizations

Civil rights advocates

Business/philanthropic community

Communities of color

Advocacy organizations

Academia

Youth and student organizations

Homeless

Those with mental illness

CPC Commissioners consist of individuals that represent the diversity of Cleveland and a representative from each of the following police associations: The Black Shield, Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), and The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association (CPPA).

The CPC works to empower the community’s voice in the reform process. It works with the community to develop reports and recommendations on ways police policies can better reflect community values. Better policies will help ensure policing in Cleveland is safe, effective, and that people’s civil rights are upheld.