In 2024, a total of 134 new recruits have enrolled in the Cleveland Division of Police Academy, a significant increase from the 22 recruits hired in the previous year as reported by the city.
CLEVELAND — The City of Cleveland says its police academy has welcomed the highest number of new recruits this year since 2019 — and it’s attributing the increase to new safety initiatives set into motion by Mayor Justin Bibb’s administration last year.
In a press release Friday, Bibb’s office said in the first full year of the Raising Investment in Safety for Everyone (RISE) Initiative, a combined 134 recruits have joined the academy. The most recent class, consisting of 46 recruits, will begin training in the 158th Cleveland Division of Police Academy beginning Monday, Dec. 16. A previous class this March welcomed 52 recruits, more than the previous four classes combined.
“I’m excited to welcome these 46 individuals who have made the selfless commitment to serve The Land,” Mayor Just Bibb said in a statement.
Bibb’s office claimed the rise in recruits correlates with policy changes spearheaded by the mayor, among them shifting recruitment responsibilities to the police division rather than the Department of Public Safety and legislation to raise the maximum age for officers. (The city said five recruits from the most recent class would have previously been considered too old to become an officer.) Under DPS supervision, yearly recruitment dramatically declined — from 87 recruits in 2020 to 22 in 2023. Last May, an academy class comprised just nine people, the lowest number the city had seen in decades.
“Another large class coinciding with the first full year of our RISE initiative means one thing — our recruitment efforts are working,” Bibb said. “We are optimistic that we will maintain this sustained level of success going forward as we continue working on making the Cleveland Division of Police not only a premier employer of choice in the state, but one of the best in the country.”
Other actions under the RISE Initiative included a 50% police pay increase, $5,000 sign-on bonuses, faster paths for promotions, and “expedited hiring events” aimed at streamlining the application process.
Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd said the division “remains steadfast in our commitment to recruit qualified individuals to serve our city.”
“I am proud of the efforts our members have made to attract candidates eager to serve, and I am confident that we have recruited future officers who will uphold the highest standards our community deserves,” Todd said. “A career with the Cleveland Division of Police is both challenging and deeply rewarding, offering the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others every day.”
The city said the December academy class is larger than recent class sizes in St. Louis, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Milwaukee. The recruits are expected to start basic patrol in August.
Cleveland names new inspector general
Cleveland also announced Friday a key appointment within the Department of Public Safety. Shayleen Agarwal was named the city’s new Inspector General.
Agarwal previously worked in roles auditing and monitoring law enforcement oversight in Chicago, Seattle, Oakland, Calif. and Portland, Ore. She most recently served in the city auditor’s office in San Jose, Calif.
Working within the mayor’s office and reporting to the Director of Public Safety, Agarwal will be tasked with ensuring policy compliance, analyzing Office of Professional Standards investigations, assessing disciplinary trends within the police division, and making various procedural recommendations. She will start on Dec. 16.
