The Cleveland Police Department is moving forward with efforts to improve community relations. As part of its federal consent decree it appointed a new commander of community policing Monday.
The city already has community policing, mainly in the form of city-wide programs for youth. Johnny Johnson, who was promoted from captain, is charged with improving street-level officer/resident relations in each district. The 21-year veteran says he learned of the promotion last Friday.
“Again, it’s going to take me some time to sit down and see what’s there and where we need to go. But again my number one priority is to ensure that community policing becomes ingrained in the DNA of every officer in the division.”
During Johnson’s appointment ceremony Mayor Frank Jackson called the enhancement of community policing one of the most important consent decree goals which also include improved police training and recruitment.
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