Response to Cleveland Police Detective Dereliction of Duty

November 11, 2021

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center Issues Response to Cleveland Police Detective Dereliction of Duty

Ignored DNA match in rape case

Today, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (CRCC) issued the following statement in response to a Cleveland police detective facing two misdemeanor charges that accuse him of lying to prosecutors during a 2019 rape investigation and failing to re-open the case after receiving information that DNA matched a suspect.

“Yesterday, charges were filed against a Cleveland police detective for misconduct in a 2019 rape case.

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is enraged to learn about this case.  We are concerned for the survivor at the center of this case and recognize that this news impacts many other survivors of sexual assault.  We are here for you and prepared to support you.

Unfortunately, this mishandled case is not an isolated incident.  Historical misconduct in the Special Victims Unit of the Cleveland Division of Police has been well documented.  For far too long, too many rape and sexual abuse survivors in Cleveland have been left to investigate their own cases or accept that justice is not accessible to them.  This is inexcusable.

For more than a decade, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has been advocating for change within the unit and broader system.  The time for incremental improvement is over. Survivors expect more from our police department and criminal justice system.

We would like to thank the investigators and prosecutors who worked to bring charges in this matter and the officers, prosecutors, advocates and medical professionals who work hard every day to support rape survivors.  We know you are disgusted by this behavior and tired of this pattern too.

We look forward to working with new City leadership to enact the sweeping reforms that our community and rape survivors deserve.  With a spirit of urgency and a fierce commitment to advocate for survivors, we are ready to partner and seek solutions with you.  We can and must do better. 

If you or someone you love or know is impacted by this news or has questions about a case, please call or text our rape crisis and support hotline at (216) 619-6192 – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is standing by to believe and support you.”