Cleveland Residency: Double Standard Outed by PD

So . . . the dirty little secret isn't secret any more . . .

New safety chief lives outside city
Flask, ex-chief, exempt from residency rule
Friday, March 03, 2006
Olivera Perkins Plain Dealer Reporter

As Cleveland prepares to fight to preserve a rule requiring police and other
municipal workers to live in the city, Mayor Frank Jackson on Thursday appointed
the interim safety director, who lives in Macedonia.

Because Martin Flask, a former Cleveland police chief, was hired before the residency law took effect in 1982, he isn't required to live in the city. Still, Jackson had the power to make it a condition.

This means the city's two top law enforcement officials -- Flask and Police Chief Michael McGrath -- don't live in the city. McGrath was also grandfathered out of the city's residency requirement.

Having two suburbanites -- McGrath lives in North Royalton -- doesn't bother Jackson.

"I want the best people for the job," Jackson said.

Jackson told city workers he will fire them if they move from Cleveland when the state law outlawing residency requirements takes effect in April. The city intends to challenge the law as unconstitutional because it violates the home rule granted to cities by the Ohio constitution to govern themselves.

"Director Flask and I have not been on the same page in terms of residency, but on home rule we agree," Jackson said.

Flask declined to discuss residency.

Several council members said they would like Flask to live in Cleveland.

"When you live among the people, you get an up-close view, and it gives you a sense of investment about where you live," said Councilman Kevin Conwell of the Glenville neighborhood.

Councilman Kevin Kelley of Old Brooklyn said the charter is fuzzy on some residency issues.

He said that included whether employees who rejoin the city should live here. He believes the Law Department should take a look at that.

Flask retired as chief in 2001 and rejoined the city as security manager at Cleveland
Hopkins International Airport.

Councilman Zack Reed of Mount Pleasant is concerned that having white men in top positions sends the wrong message, especially in a city where the relationship between black residents and the Police Department has often been strained.

"Why do we continue to go back and get these 20th century re-treads," he said. "We didn't have any young, African Americans who could do this job?"

The committee interviewed 15 candidates and thought none "fit the bill," said William Denihan, search committee co-chair, along with Jackson's brother Anthony, chief at the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority.

Denihan said they didn't recommend any of those candidates because they
lacked significant law enforcement, leadership and community outreach experience.

He said they were elated when Flask applied about two weeks ago.

So was the mayor.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

operkins@plaind.com, 216-999-4868