This episode of Smoke and Mirrors takes a hard look at unrealized power—what happens when ordinary people are handed authority but struggle to use it. We dive into the story of Cleveland’s Community Police Commission, exploring its transformation into the nation’s most powerful civilian oversight body and the challenges it faces in realizing its potential. Along the way, we examine the need for restructuring the Cleveland Division of Police that centers community, the anticipated loss of 400 officers by 2018 from the DROP program, and the scapegoating of the consent decree and Issue 24.

Recorded and aired at 8am Dec. 25, 2024 on WOVU 95.9 FM.