New Policy: Cuyahoga County Sheriff to Release Camera Footage in Deadly Force Cases

Filed
6:00 a.m. EST

03.04.2025

Coverage shift follows a Marshall Venture – Cleveland and Information 5 Cleveland investigation into the October taking pictures of a teen by a deputy.

The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Division quietly up to date its coverage to permit the discharge of physique digital camera footage from deputy shootings inside seven enterprise days, The Marshall Venture and Information 5 Cleveland have realized.

The up to date physique digital camera coverage follows an investigation by the information retailers into how the sheriff’s division refused to launch video from deputy shootings. Final October, the division didn’t launch footage for almost 4 months after a deputy shot an adolescent in Cleveland.

County officers launched the video hours earlier than the information retailers revealed the joint investigation.

Neither Sheriff Harold Pretel nor County Govt Chris Ronayne would say why the sheriff’s division up to date its coverage with out asserting the change to the general public.

The brand new coverage took impact Feb. 14, data present.

“The coverage replace aligns with nationwide finest practices relating to the discharge of public info,” Pretel wrote in a press release. “The up to date coverage is a step towards strengthening belief between residents and regulation enforcement.”

The Marshall Venture – Cleveland and Information 5 Cleveland repeatedly requested to interview Pretel and Ronayne, however a county spokesperson stated neither was out there.

This video incorporates police bodycam footage that features the sound of gunshots, that are being fired towards a teen.

The coverage replace is just like legal guidelines handed in Cleveland in 2022 and Akron in 2021, which require footage of shootings to be launched inside seven days. The Cleveland regulation additionally applies to impartial police companies that function inside town. It doesn’t apply to the sheriff’s division or federal or state officers.

Whereas the coverage replace says footage must be out there for launch inside seven enterprise days, Cleveland and Akron’s insurance policies are extra direct, primarily promising the footage inside seven days.

Cleveland and Akron may even launch footage from no less than three recording units, if a number of units captured the encounter. Pretel’s replace doesn’t specify how a lot footage might be launched.

5 Cuyahoga County Council members instructed the information retailers on Feb. 25 that they had been unaware of the coverage change. They solely realized of the change from reporters. A number of stated Pretel ought to have notified the whole council concerning the coverage replace.

County Council President Dale Miller stated seven enterprise days is cheap to launch video footage. However after conferring with the council’s legal professional, Miller stated he considers the phrase “ought to” imprecise language.

“I would favor ‘shall’ with doable exceptions famous if crucial,” he added.

County Councilman Martin J. Sweeney recommended Pretel’s about-face, however known as the transfer “lengthy overdue.” He praised The Marshall Venture – Cleveland and Information 5 Cleveland for prompting Pretel to behave and produce higher transparency to the sheriff’s division.

“We now have a brand new coverage due to that, and that’s one thing that’s in one of the best pursuits of the individuals of Cuyahoga County,” Sweeney stated. “I actually imagine that.”

The moms of three youngsters who had been chased by the sheriff’s deputies in October stated they had been saved at the hours of darkness concerning the taking pictures. They didn’t study which police company shot the kid till assembly with The Marshall Venture – Cleveland and Information 5 Cleveland.

The taking pictures unfolded as Cuyahoga County sheriff’s deputies stated they had been in pursuit of a stolen Nissan carrying three individuals, one presumably armed.

The chase led to a crash close to East twenty sixth Avenue and Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland, prompting the three youngsters inside to run. Deputies opened hearth, hanging the 15-year-old boy within the leg, data present.

The teenager was handled for a single gunshot wound and launched to county juvenile court docket authorities. He and the 2 different teenagers face a variety of delinquency fees.

A’aishah Rogers, the mom of the injured teen, known as it horrifying to look at the movies. She watched them for the primary time when the information retailers revealed their joint investigation. County officers, she stated, ought to have allowed her household to view them first.

“Me and my members of the family shouldn’t need to see this sort of footage on TV with everybody else,” she stated.

Rogers stated she turned offended after watching the movies numerous instances as a result of it seems Deputy Isen Vajusi opened hearth as he jumped out of his automobile. The deputy is then heard saying he thought he noticed a gun in her son’s hand.

“I noticed no gun; I noticed nothing silver,” she stated. “I did see a toddler working from police, and I heard six gunshots.”

She stated the sheriff’s division must do greater than replace a coverage to construct group belief. Rogers remains to be left with unanswered questions, since deputies didn’t discover a gun close to her son.

“To me, it nonetheless smells like a cover-up,” she stated.

Whereas Cleveland police are required by metropolis regulation to launch movies of officer shootings, the sheriff’s Downtown Security Patrol, regardless of working on those self same Cleveland streets, was not held to the identical oversight requirements.

Subodh Chandra, a civil rights legal professional and former Cleveland regulation director, stated releasing video footage is crucial for the general public.

“The bodycam and sprint cam movies that regulation enforcement use actually exist for the aim of accountability and transparency,” he stated.