The City of Shaker Heights has established a Community Advisory Group (CAG) to provide feedback to city leaders on topics related to policing policies and procedures.
Serving on this group will be residents Orlando Alvarez, Jr.; Greg Bonanno; George Coulter; David Crampton; Vicki Elder; Andrew Geronimo; Ethan Khorana; Kathleen Knoll-Frey; Marc Lubline; Corbyn Martz; Mark Munetz; Ken Prabucki; Lozell Siler; Jeremy Wanton; and Jon Wilham.
This group will advise the mayor (in their elected role and as safety director), police chief, chief administrative officer, and City Council on topics that may include:
- Policing policies and practices
- The operation and expansion of the Mental Health Response Program
- Community engagement efforts by both the police and mental health professionals
- The implementation of recommendations from the Listening Project
“I’m very appreciative of these residents who are willing to serve our community in this very important endeavor and I look forward to their input,” said Mayor David E. Weiss.
The primary purpose of the Listening Project is to provide an opportunity for the public to share feedback on policing in Shaker generally, as well as on three focus areas: police policy and practice, the Mental Health Response Program, and public records. The City is hosting a series of in-person and virtual meetings to encourage community-wide discussion on these topics.
Both the Listening Project and the Community Advisory Group are outgrowths of the Framework for Maintaining a Safe and Just Shaker, adopted by City Council last summer.
The overriding goals of the group’s efforts are:
- Preventing biased policing and negative community perceptions;
- Improving community relations; and
- Maintaining a just City.
Read more about the qualifications and duties of Community Advisory Group members.