(Cleveland) - Less than three weeks after riots and looting downtown that resulted in days of a downtown curfew, the man in charge of Cleveland's safety forces has resigned, effective this Friday.
Cleveland Safety Director Michael McGrath, in a letter to Department of Public Safety personnel, said his departure is due to "personal and unavoidable circumstances." He thanked all those whom he has had the opportunity to work with in the 40 years he was with the Cleveland Division of Police.
Mayor Frank Jackson said in a written statement, “I congratulate Michael McGrath on 48 years of public service as a police officer, as Chief of Police and as the director of the Department of Public Safety. McGrath’s career demonstrates what it means to be a true public servant. During my time as a Councilman, he was appointed by Mayor Michael White as Commander of a District that included a portion of my ward. He was appointed Chief of Police by Mayor Jane Campbell. I retained him as part of my administration because of his excellent service. He helped to develop our policies and procedures before we entered into the consent decree, many of which have helped us through the consent decree.”
The city made public McGrath's departure in a daily email to the media about COVID-19 related issues.
McGrath's replacement will be sworn in Friday at 1 p.m., and the ceremony will be streamed live on the city's Facebook page.
(Photo courtesy City of Cleveland)
(Copyright 2020, iHeartMedia)