History
The Cleveland Division of Police as it is known today was established on May 1, 1866 with the passage of the Metropolitan Police Act. It was reorganized on April 1, 1871 when the Ohio General Assembly allowed taxes to be levied to pay for police services. In 1903 it was classified as a division of the Department of Safety headed by the Director of Public Safety. Legendary crime fighter Eliot Ness (of Untouchables fame) served as the Director of Public Safety from 1935 until 1942.
The Division of Police has a long and storied tradition dating back to the turn of the century. The decorated Mounted Police, the longest standing in the United States, has marched in Presidential inaugurations and funerals and won the championship in Military Mounted Drill at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933.
The Division of Police is recognized for a number of “firsts” in policing, including the first bank robbery in progress caught on film and the first criminal conviction secured by matching a palm print lifted from a crime scene to a suspect. The Division of Police played a part in two landmark United States Supreme Court cases which affect the manner in which police officers across the country practice their trade. One, Terry v. Ohio, allowed police officers to conduct a “pat down” search of criminal suspects without making an arrest or securing a warrant. This important decision is credited with saving the lives of countless police officers across the land.
Tragically, 107 Cleveland Police Officers have paid the ultimate sacrifice. The names and badges of those who have died in the service of the people of the City of Cleveland are poignantly displayed in prominence on the first floor of the police headquarters building at the corner of Ontario St. and St. Clair Ave.
Today, more that 1,600 dedicated men and women make up the second largest police force in the State of Ohio. Led by Chief of Police Michael McGrath, the Division of Police is positioned to continue its tradition of excellence into the 21st century.
Organizational Structure
Police Organizational Chart
The highest priority of the Division of Police is to provide public safety. To efficiently and effectively accomplish this, the Division is organized into four operations: Administrative Operations, Field Operations, Special Operations and Homeland Security.
Administrative Operations
This area provides services that enable the other programs to effectively respond to service calls. It provides security services; warrant, subpoena and property processing; radio and telephone communications; inspection of police services; and management of information and human resources. Additional functions include the reporting and recording of crimes and incidents and personnel development.
Field Operations
This area responds to citizen calls for assistance through uniformed patrol activities in the five districts and interacts through the community via the DARE programs, Community Relations, Auxiliary Police, and patrols. District support sections assist uniformed patrols through the investigation of major offenses, concentrated action on specific complaints, and crime pattern analysis. As part of Field Operations, the Bureau of Traffic provides traffic and crowd control at major events, investigates serious traffic accidents and ensures the safety of school children walking to and from school.
Special Operations
This operation is comprised of two sections, Investigations and Technical Support, which provide a variety of investigative and technical services to the Division and the community. Investigations, which consists of the Detective Bureaus, specializes in specific crimes such as auto theft, fraud, arson, homicide, sex crimes and youth domestic violence. Technical Support provides both photo lab services as well as forensic and crime scene analysis for the Division.
Homeland Security
The Deputy Chief of Homeland Security is responsible for monitoring and responding to threats to homeland security within the City of Cleveland. The Intelligence and Canine Units, along with the Bomb Squad, City Hall Security and Mayor’s Security Detail work within this operation. The Airport Unit within the Ports Section is responsible for security at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport while the Aviation Unit provides air support to the Division of Police.
