CLEVELAND, OH- The Cleveland Police Department (CPD) have been cracking down on juveniles accused of breaking into cars and wreaking havoc across the community.
Cleveland 19 spoke exclusively with CPD Chief Dorothy Todd on Thursday, November 14th, about the department's efforts to crack down on juvenile crime and the many issues getting in the way of keeping the community safe. In many cases, it is not the first time a juvenile has committed a crime, meaning many of the incidents are completed by repeat offenders.
One of the teens police took into custody as of recent has been arrested more than 25 times for violent felonies, but has been allowed to remain on the streets. Chief Todd said, "If you know that you can break into these cars and nothing's going to happen to you, why shouldn't you?"
Recently, police arrested a 14-year-old boy who they say has been terrorizing the community for weeks. Chief Todd and her officers are fed up. She said, "Sometimes it's a revolving door when it comes with the kids. Our officers always say, you know, that it's just they don't understand how there's just no accountability."
Police were looking for the young boy after they said he had committed an aggravated robbery on Halloween. Detectives found him in a stolen car and tried to pull him over, but he wouldn't stop. Officers later tracked him down at a nearby home where they also found two guns on him.
The chief said, "I think that's a big part of it. That's the only way kids get their hands on guns, they're finding these guns, they're using them in robberies. I believe one of the juveniles had maybe fired shots at one of the officers at one point, so these are very young kids committing very serious crimes."
The 14-year-old started committing crimes at the young age of 12. He was arrested six times this year alone. His crimes range from animal cruelty to aggravated robbery and felonious assault. They also believe he is behind more than 50 recent car break-ins. Todd said, "Form out frontline officers who are doing the work I know they're frustrated because they see these kids they arrested and a few days later they're interacting with them again, so I know they're frustrated."
"I try to encourage them just keep doing our part we can't control what happens after our investigation's done, but just continue enforcing the law." Todd said her department is already stretched thin and these cases are taking up a lot of resources and eating up a lot of overtime pay.
"The community deserves them to be held accountable. The community deserves to feel safe. The officers put a lot of work into this and we're trying to help resolve the issues but there has to be a consequence in order to stop the behavior."
Several of these cases where the teens are released by juvenile court judges end up re-offending again.
"It's scary, you know, and I hope that's considered when the process goes through you have to look at that. We aren't the experts when it comes to how to rehabilitate him, but from a community standpoint and from a law enforcement standpoint, it's scary we see the crimes he's committed so far. We don't know what he's capable of."
While the juvenile judges keep releasing the violent kids committing these crimes, Chief Todd said her officers will continue to do their part in arresting these kids.
Cleveland 19 spoke exclusively with CPD Chief Dorothy Todd on Thursday, November 14th, about the department's efforts to crack down on juvenile crime and the many issues getting in the way of keeping the community safe. In many cases, it is not the first time a juvenile has committed a crime, meaning many of the incidents are completed by repeat offenders.
One of the teens police took into custody as of recent has been arrested more than 25 times for violent felonies, but has been allowed to remain on the streets. Chief Todd said, "If you know that you can break into these cars and nothing's going to happen to you, why shouldn't you?"
Recently, police arrested a 14-year-old boy who they say has been terrorizing the community for weeks. Chief Todd and her officers are fed up. She said, "Sometimes it's a revolving door when it comes with the kids. Our officers always say, you know, that it's just they don't understand how there's just no accountability."
Police were looking for the young boy after they said he had committed an aggravated robbery on Halloween. Detectives found him in a stolen car and tried to pull him over, but he wouldn't stop. Officers later tracked him down at a nearby home where they also found two guns on him.
The chief said, "I think that's a big part of it. That's the only way kids get their hands on guns, they're finding these guns, they're using them in robberies. I believe one of the juveniles had maybe fired shots at one of the officers at one point, so these are very young kids committing very serious crimes."
The 14-year-old started committing crimes at the young age of 12. He was arrested six times this year alone. His crimes range from animal cruelty to aggravated robbery and felonious assault. They also believe he is behind more than 50 recent car break-ins. Todd said, "Form out frontline officers who are doing the work I know they're frustrated because they see these kids they arrested and a few days later they're interacting with them again, so I know they're frustrated."
"I try to encourage them just keep doing our part we can't control what happens after our investigation's done, but just continue enforcing the law." Todd said her department is already stretched thin and these cases are taking up a lot of resources and eating up a lot of overtime pay.
"The community deserves them to be held accountable. The community deserves to feel safe. The officers put a lot of work into this and we're trying to help resolve the issues but there has to be a consequence in order to stop the behavior."
Several of these cases where the teens are released by juvenile court judges end up re-offending again.
"It's scary, you know, and I hope that's considered when the process goes through you have to look at that. We aren't the experts when it comes to how to rehabilitate him, but from a community standpoint and from a law enforcement standpoint, it's scary we see the crimes he's committed so far. We don't know what he's capable of."
While the juvenile judges keep releasing the violent kids committing these crimes, Chief Todd said her officers will continue to do their part in arresting these kids.
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Comments
2024-11-17T15:24-0500 | Comment by: Karen
The only way we can actually solve this issue is by removing these judges from their benches. Other than that, we have a revolving door here with these teens. Also, perhaps establishishing a boot camp and charging parents for each misdemeanor. Establishishing a curfew for children & holding them in a police dept. locked room until picked up by a parent after paying the charge for breaking the curfew.