Community Police Commission Public Perception and Police Reform Survey Project

Introduction and Background 1.1 The Cleveland Community Police Commission The Cleveland Community Police Commission ("CPC" or "the Commission") is a civilian police oversight body established by the Charter of the City of Cleveland, Section 115-5, following the passage of Issue 24 by Cleveland voters in November 2021. The Commission holds final authority over police discipline, policy, and related oversight functions, and is charged with ensuring that policing in Cleveland is constitutional, effective, transparent, and reflective of community values. The Commission is composed of thirteen (13) Commissioners and a professional staff led by the Executive Director. 1.2 The Consent Decree Since 2015, the Cleveland Division of Police ("CDP") has operated under a federal Consent Decree entered in United States v. City of Cleveland, Case No. 1:15-cv-01046 (N.D. Ohio), overseen by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The Consent Decree requires sweeping reforms across use of force, community engagement, bias-free policing, crisis intervention, search and seizure, accountability, transparency, and officer support. The Consent Decree expressly contemplates periodic, methodologically reliable surveys of a representative sample of Cleveland residents regarding their experiences with, and perceptions of, the Cleveland Division of Police and of public safety (see Consent Decree, Section IX.D, Biennial Community Survey). Community input is foundational to the Decree: reform is not complete when policies change on paper—it is complete when residents see and feel the difference in their daily interactions with police. 1.3 Purpose of this Request for Proposals The Commission seeks proposals from qualified research, evaluation, polling, and/or community engagement firms ("Proposers") to design and execute a citywide community survey and qualitative engagement initiative (the "Project"). The central questions the Project must answer are: Experience: What are Cleveland residents' direct experiences with the Cleveland Division of Police—including stops, calls for service, complaints, and everyday encounters? Perceived change: Do residents see and feel a difference in policing since the Consent Decree was implemented in 2015—and if so, what specifically has changed (positively or negatively)? Trust and legitimacy: How do residents rate their trust in CDP, perceptions of fairness, procedural justice, responsiveness, and safety in their neighborhoods? Equity: How do experiences and perceptions differ across race, ethnicity, age, gender, language, disability status, neighborhood/police district, and other demographic factors? The selected firm ("Contractor") will be responsible for survey design, sampling, dissemination, focus group facilitation, other community input methods, data analysis, and reporting, in close coordination with Commission staff.