West Cleveland News

The Cleveland Police Academy's latest class is significantly larger than its predecessors, with a size seven times that of the most recent class. This makes it larger than the combined total of the previous four academy classes. The 155th Cleveland Division of Police Academy has already been in training for a week.

Mayor Bibb, according to a City of Cleveland press release, stated, "Last July I doubled down on my commitment to public safety by launching RISE – an initiative to raise investments in safety for our residents, officers, and the entire community. Initiatives only matter to the extent they generate tangible successes. Clevelanders deserve results and this large academy class is a direct product of my Administration’s cumulative efforts over the last several months."

The current academy boasts 52 recruits, ten of whom are aged between 40 to 54 years old. According to another City of Cleveland press release, these recruits would have been ineligible without the administration's legislative change to increase the maximum age for becoming an officer. The class size surpasses the historical average number of recruits hired, which stands at 45.

The academy operates full-time from Monday through Friday and lasts approximately seven and a half months as per another City of Cleveland press release. This duration is required by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission and includes additional training on local policies and procedures mandated as part of a consent decree. Upon completing basic training, recruits will undertake numerous other courses covering various protocols, techniques, and information on topics such as first aid administration, traffic control, patrol duties, search and seizure procedures, crisis response strategies, crime scene processing methods and evidence collection techniques. The courses also cover interviewing witnesses, assisting victims, legal requirements and community engagement.

According to yet another City of Cleveland press release, the current police academy course outnumbers most recent class sizes in Indianapolis (35), Milwaukee (41), and New Orleans (22). Recruits are expected to graduate and commence basic patrol duties in November. Another academy class is anticipated to start later this year.