November 20, 1992 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Page 11

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Photo by Brian DeWitt Mayor Michael White administers the oath to three new Police Civilian Review Board members, from left, Earlene Moss, Martha Pontoni, and Nancy Cronin.

Pontoni is first open lesbian appointed to a city board

Gay People's Chronicle publisher Martha Pontoni was officially sworn in October 23 as a member of the City of Cleveland's Police Civilian Review Board by Mayor Michael R. White. The board investigates complaints of police misconduct.

As the first openly-identified lesbian to serve the City of Cleveland, Pontoni accepted the volunteer four-year appointment with the hope that lesbians and gay men would feel more at ease in reporting police incidents to the board.

During the swearing-in ceremony, the mayor stressed that the "review board was designed to give citizens an opportunity to talk with other citizens when they believe that the relationship between themselves and the police department might not have been what it should have been." According to White, the board serves as a neutral group whose responsibility is "to ferret out the truth."

The mayor emphasized that this was not a political appointment: "I am not asking you to be pro-police. I am not asking you to be pro-citizen. I am asking you to the best of your abilities to be pro-truth, regardless of where the cards may fall," he said. "I cannot think of one appointment that I make with more care, in terms of trying to identify, attract and appoint good citizens who are balanced and fair to all."

During a brief acceptance speech, Pontoni congratulated the mayor "for the courage and the insight to select someone from the lesbian and gay community" to serve on the board. Speaking first of her desire to see everyone work together, Pontoni went on the describe the post as "an important office, and it's scary at times. Everyone speaks different languages. The need is to be able to listen to the citizens and the police and interpret both of their languages and come out with one clear one."

Training for the position includes time at the Cleveland Police Academy and patrolling in a police car. If you or someone you know wishes to file a complaint or discuss an incident involving the Cleveland Police, call the Office of Professional Standards at 664-2944.

The Cleveland Police Review Board, which began operating in 1988, was created by a charter amendment passed by Cleveland voters in 1984. The vote was in

response to the fatal shooting two years earlier of 24-year-old Michael Wood by Patrol Officer Joseph Paskvan, who had been involved in seven other shootings. Currently the board has five members: Earlene Moss, Nancy Cronin, Martha Pontoni, Rev. Alvin T. Jones, and Ramonita Johnson-Rodriquez. Moss, Cronin and Pontoni were appointed by the mayor October 23.

The board reviews complaints made by citizens to the Office of Professional Standards, which investigates the initial complaints and makes a recommendation to the board. If the board finds that the police officer involved acted improperly they can impose a variety of disciplinary actions ranging from written or verbal reprimands to suspension and retraining of the officer.

Civilian complaints are dismissed by the board if the civilian does not cooperate with investigators or show up for the public hearing. The board may also challenge the investigation by the Office of Professional Standards and continue the case until more is known. The board also makes policy recommendations to the chief of police.

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