Cleveland Police Chief Annie Todd has completed her first year leading the city’s police force, marking a tenure focused on tackling violent crime and juvenile offenses. At her inaugural press conference last year, Todd made her priorities clear. “Violent crime, that’s our number one, that’s the number one thing for the citizens,” she stated. “Another thing we have been working on is juvenile crimes.”
Now, a year later, Todd sat down with reporters to reflect on the challenges her department has faced. Her ultimate goal, she emphasized, is ensuring public safety. In 2024, the city was rocked by violent street takeovers, a massive teen brawl in Public Square, and a series of carjackings and shootings linked to young suspects. “It has been a year,” Todd said.
As she neared her one-year milestone as Chief, Todd attended a mayoral town hall where a poignant question came from a 10-year-old boy in the audience. “Will I have a chance to survive, will my life be cut short too?” he asked.
The child was a friend of 10-year-old Kaden Coleman, who was fatally shot in the head on February 7 while riding in a car struck by gunfire. Authorities later arrested a married couple, now indicted on charges including murder, involuntary manslaughter, and drug trafficking.
When asked about her reaction to the boy’s question, Todd admitted the emotional weight of the moment. “It’s devastating to have to listen to that,” she said.
Following Coleman’s death, police initially issued only a written statement, a decision that drew scrutiny. Todd acknowledged that the public often wants to hear from officials directly. “But police work is difficult, and the circumstances behind some of these investigations are very sensitive, and this was one of them,” she explained.
While striving for transparency, Todd said she must also protect the integrity of ongoing investigations. “And I didn’t have the answers the community was looking for,” she added.
In her first year, Cleveland recorded 108 homicides—down from 142 the year prior. Todd noted that the department’s homicide solve rate remains above the national average. She also pointed to efforts to prevent violence, including the deployment of intervention specialists in Public Square following disturbances at the city’s Christmas Tree Lighting.
“It’s been working phenomenally,” Todd said, explaining that these violence interrupters establish trust with local youth. “The kids trust them, they’re not law enforcement.”
Looking ahead, Todd said the department is preparing to add more officers. “Good things are happening. With the hiring, we hope to beef up our districts and expand some of our support units,” she said. “But our men and women have done really great work when we’ve been down on our staffing.”
Todd also recently met with Federal Monitor Karl Racine to discuss the progress of the Cleveland police consent decree, which is nearing its tenth anniversary. While acknowledging improvements, both officials agreed more work remains.
“My priorities for this year: I’m hoping we can change the view the community has of the Division of Police,” Todd said. “I think for so long we are paying a penance to practices of 10, 15, 20 years ago, and people can’t see past that.”
She emphasized the importance of community engagement—not just in voicing concerns but also in recognizing the efforts of officers.