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Nine Nominees for Cleveland Community Police Commission Submitted to City Council by Mayor Justin Bibb

If Approved by Council, Six Will Serve Four-Year Terms and Three Will Serve Two-Year Terms

Staff article

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland Mayor Justin M. Bibb announced his nominations for the Community Police Commission (CPC) ahead of nine vacancies that are expected next month, and via a press release on Wednesday.  Six commissioners’ two-year terms will expire and three with unexpired four-year terms previously notified the city that they would resign for various personal reasons, according to the press release.

The mayor said the nine nominations are based on recommendations made by the Selection Advisory Panel – consisting of community leaders and city officials – and were sent to city council on Nov. 1.

Bibb said that council will set a date for a hearing where the Mayor’s Appointments Committee will consider the nominations before sending them to the full council to seek final approval.

“The commission has made strides in its first two years, so it’s critical that these vacancies be filled by dedicated residents who genuinely want to move this work forward and do what is best for our community,” said Mayor Bibb.  “We believe that these nominees are committed to not only building on that foundation but doing so in an accelerated manner.”

The city sought applications for the upcoming vacancies in August.  After the application period closed, all applications were to be screened for eligibility prescribed by the city charter and evaluated with input from some community stakeholders to determine the strongest candidates to move forward for interviews. The Selection Advisory Panel made final recommendations to the mayor who then sent his nominations to the city council.  Background checks are part of the vetting process.  If approved by council, the new commissioners would be sworn in shortly after approval.

“The selection advisory panel evaluated all applications and selected the best candidates to be interviewed to serve our community,” said LaTonya Goldsby, president of Citizens for a Safer Cleveland.  “We have compiled an excellent list of candidates for the community police commission who understand the critical task of civilian oversight and the need for transformational reform.”

The CPC is a 13-member commission that was established in November 2021 when Cleveland voters passed Issue 24, a charter amendment pushed by Tamir Rices' mother Samaria and activists seeking police reforms and better practices and procedures for police-community relations. Under the charter, the CPC is “an independent municipal commission… [who] will respond to community needs and concerns regarding the regulation of the city’s police force and community-police relations…”  The powers, duties, and responsibilities of the CPC are outlined in the charter.

Voters passed the Issue 24 charter amendment following several high profile Cleveland police killings of Blacks, including 12-year-old Tamir Rice, Tanisha Anderson and victims Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell. Cleveland police gunned down Williams and Russell while shooting 137 bullets and following a high-speed car chase from downtown Cleveland to a middle school parking lot in neighbouring East Cleveland. No gun was found at the deadly scene and the city later settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the families of Russell and Williams for millions.

"The work the CPC will tackle in this upcoming year is critical to fulfilling Charter 115-5.  In these first two years the commission has awarded community grants, reviewed several police policies, held numerous community forums, and revised police trainings,” said Dr. John Adams, a current commissioner and co-chair for the CPC.  “With the arrival of new commissioners, we look forward to hearing our first cases addressing police discipline and working to ensure that the drone technology policy is completed, as well as implementing a new corrective action policy."

The mayor said the nine nominees, along with the four current commissioners, represent a broad spectrum of lived experience and subject-matter expertise, and together, create a balanced oversight body that reflects the racial, social, economic, and cultural diversity of the city, which fulfills the intent of Charter Section 115-5.

The Nominees:

Sheila Mason

·         As Chief of Police for the Village of Woodmere – a position she held for more than a decade before retiring – she spearheaded innovative training programs and recruitment campaigns, implemented community-oriented policing initiatives and events, and developed comprehensive training programs.  Before that, she made her way through the ranks at Cuyahoga Community College Metro Campus where she supervised and coordinated daily operations of patrol shifts of up to 80 officers, conducted ongoing performance evaluations, and advocated for professional development opportunities.  Sheila is also a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Greater Cleveland Chapter.

Tera Coleman

·         A career litigator who has represented various public, private, and government entities in cases in both state and federal court.  She is currently Counsel for Baker & Hostetler LLP and was previously an Associate at Calfee, Halter, & Griswold LLP.  Tera has 10 years of experience serving on boards and commissions including Teach for America – Ohio, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, Recovery Resources, and UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Foundation.  She has received numerous recognitions including Crain’s Cleveland Business Notable Women in Law and 40 Under 40, as well as The National Black Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40.

Imoh Umosen

·         Currently a Project Manager at the PNC Fairfax Connection, he has held various roles at PNC Bank focused on Operations and Human Resources.  He currently oversees all adult programming, focuses on outreach and engagement with various community institutions, and has collaborated on audit and compliance work.  He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Cleveland State University and an MBA from Louisiana State University.

Shandra Moreira-Benito

·         As Director of Human Resources for Preterm, she is responsible for hiring, onboarding, training, relationship management, professional development, employee evaluations and discipline.  As the organization’s first-ever HR Director, she is also tasked with creating, refining, and standardizing personnel policies, processes, and systems.  Her previous roles include Director of Diversity and Inclusion at a behavioural and mental health care agency and a Hospital Response Team Advocate at The Rape Recovery Center in Salt Lake City – where she provided more than 800 hours of in-person advocacy to over 200 survivors of diverse backgrounds and identities. Shandra is a licensed social worker who also founded a grassroots volunteer group that raised and distributed over $800,000 in supplies to 8,000 families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maya Kincaid

·         A Glenville High School graduate who has an array of experience across the banking and hospitality industries working for Marriott, Fifth Third, PNC Bank, and multiple restaurant groups.  She has worked in leadership roles helping modernise operations, implement training, and other management duties.  Maya was also a Development Manager for the ACLU of Ohio where she worked on marketing campaigns and fundraising activities helping increase awareness and attract donors to achieve funding goals.

Maura Garin

·         A Human Resources professional who has decades of experience working in the both the private and nonprofit sectors.  She has held multiple senior-level positions and has worked for a host of nonprofits who provide health and wellness services, behavioral health care, mental health and addiction services, job placement, and support for developmentally-disabled adults.  Maura is currently an HR Business Partner for a local nonprofit organization that leads the fight against poverty by providing support to low-income individuals and families through programming, training, and other resources. Her responsibilities have included recruitment, training, coaching, and her years of experience in employee relations, labor negotiations, and arbitration management have helped settle grievances and resolve disputes.

Sharena Zayed

·         An experienced community organizer who has an extensive background in establishing, building, and strengthening relationships between residents, businesses, and institutional partners.  She has worked for multiple nonprofits, including Neighborhood Connections where she currently is a Network Steward tasked with facilitating community meetings, coordinating canvassing efforts, and organizing other outreach efforts to connect residents with local resources, make service referrals, and improve neighborhood-institutional partnerships.  Sharena also has prior experience in healthcare environments where she provided recovery-oriented rehabilitation services as a Mental Health Specialist and treated diverse populations, including those with mental health diagnoses, as a Patient Care Nursing Assistant at the Cleveland Clinic.  She also serves as Board Chair for Stop the Pain, Inc. – a local organization that provides resources to address gun violence in the community.

Michael Nelson

·         An attorney and retired Cleveland judge with more than 44 years of experience serving on numerous boards and commissions including President of the Cleveland NAACP Board of Directors, President of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Vice Chair of the Cleveland Civil Service Commission, President of the Central State University Foundation, and is currently a member of the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation Board of Trustees. The lifelong Cleveland resident began his career as an elementary school teacher and also worked for a local CDC helping support its housing rehabilitation program before graduating from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law.  Michael has received numerous recognitions including the Norman S. Minor Bar Association’s Trailblazer Award, the Thurgood Marshall Fund Alumnus of the Year, and has also been inducted into Central State University’s Alumni Achievement Hall of Fame.

Untaya Miller

·       Currently a Student Success Specialist, she has held various roles over the past 10+ years at Cuyahoga Community College supporting both new and returning students in numerous areas including admissions, registration, financial aid, scholarships, mentoring, and more.  Her case management skills have helped identify, refer, and track the success of support services.  She is also responsible for college-wide training and provides input on all recruitment, hiring, and performance management activities.  Untaya holds multiple Associate’s Degrees in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Affairs and a Certificate in Public Management from Cleveland State University, and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership.