ACLU objects to changes for Cleveland police review board

CLEVELAND – Civil rights officials say proposed changes to Cleveland’s Civilian Police Review Board don’t give members enough power or autonomy to ensure the accountability required in a police-reform agreement.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio said Monday it’s a conflict of interest to allow the police chief to remove board members and for the chief and safety director to decide officer discipline. A city attorney said Tuesday it’s the safety director, not the chief, who can remove panel members.

The board oversees investigations of citizen complaints and recommends discipline officers should face.

The city and the U.S. Justice Department signed the court-monitored agreement last year after federal investigators concluded that officers had shown a pattern of using excessive force. The proposed changes will appear on the November ballot.