CLEVELAND — Cleveland Metropolitan School District teachers are moving through the motions of car break-ins again.
Cleveland Teachers Union President Errol Savage told me seven cars were broken into on Monday outside of Clara E. Westdropp Elementary.
"The teachers are frightened. They're scared and they're frightened for their students, and I really hope that the mayor dedicates law enforcement personnel to get out to these school buildings and patrol these parking lots," Savage said.
Savage told me Cleveland police were called, but no one showed up.
News 5 has since reached out to CPD for a response. A spokesperson said they'd get back to us on Tuesday.
"The Cleveland Police Department said, 'We don't have any men to send out there,' so our teachers came out to shattered windows. I helped put garbage bags over the windows and sealing them up, and we couldn't even get a police officer to come out here and take a physical report. CPD hasn't been here. The Cleveland Police Department has not shown up since this happened, and I expect they won't, and I hope that the mayor directs the division of police to make our schools a priority so our students and teachers are safe because right now they're not," Savage said.
Savage said he's also been told another CMSD facility was also subject to more car break-ins on Monday.
"This is happening all over the city, east side and west side. Nowhere is safe until the mayor gets these schools safe. This cannot keep continuing. Everything's not OK, and I'm telling teachers to do what they do best: communicate with their parents and the public to put pressure on the mayor," Savage said. "This comes down to the city not being safe, and the city is not safe, and we don't have enough police officers and they're not patrolling in the right places. Our school buildings are specifically being targeted."
His frustration comes just days after CMSD announced its deployment of 16 temporary parking lot monitors at priority locations, with additional monitors expected after completing required screening procedures.
RELATED: CMSD adding security measures after repeat car break-ins
The district told us last week it was evaluating how many monitors would be needed and how long they would remain in place. The temporary monitors will not be assigned to every CMSD school.
CMSD is also considering longer-term security improvements, including additional fencing, gates and other physical security measures.
The renewed focus on security follows reports of repeated break-ins and vandalism at school buildings, including Kenneth Clement Boys Leadership Academy and Sunbeam Elementary.
The day after the incidents at Sunbeam, 94% of the school’s general education teachers called off.
The district subsequently announced plans to install a gate and make other security modifications.
In a separate security decision, CMSD announced it will not renew its contract with Flock Safety, the company that provides automated license plate reader cameras.
The decision follows a broader review of the district’s exterior security systems, including privacy concerns raised by community members and Board of Education members, input from law enforcement partners, costs and potential alternatives.
CMSD has directed Flock Safety to suspend the use of its cameras on district properties.
However, the district says security operations will continue through its existing network of nearly 5,000 district-owned cameras, Safe Passage, partnerships with Cleveland police and RTA, temporary parking lot monitors and other physical security measures.
