East Cleveland mayor fires police chief: I-Team
Mayor Lateek R. Shabazz wrote a letter to Acting Chief Kenneth Lundy informing him he has been terminated effective immediately. Lundy received the letter on Monday.
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The letter states Lundy was not properly hired.
'The decision follows a comprehensive review that uncovered multiple violations of Ohio civil service laws and East Cleveland ordinances regarding his appointment and promotions,' a news release from the East Cleveland mayor's office states. 'According to the review, Mr. Lundy was originally appointed in June 2016 and promoted through the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and, most recently, Acting Chief of Police on January 2, 2024 — none of which adhered to the required competitive civil service examinations. Additionally, East Cleveland's ordinances limit temporary classified appointments to no more than 180 days in a calendar year; Mr. Lundy's continuous service far exceeded that limit. The only unclassified police employee is a six-month beat patrol commissioned officer who is not authorized to be a member of a collective bargaining union.'
Shabazz, on Monday afternoon, told reporters Lundy's lack of civil service testing opens the city up to liability. :
'In addition to your unlawful appointment and promotions, news that you became romantically involved with the girlfriend of a homicide suspect you were investigating, without disclosing your live-in relationship with her to Cuyahoga County prosecutors prosecuting the suspect, is not the mindset of someone I want managing police going forward,' the letter from the mayor to the chief states. 'The duties of police are to obey and enforce all the ordinances of the city, and the criminal laws of the state and United States pursuant to R.C. 737.11. Police do not disobey laws. I am demanding strict constitutional compliance and obedience to laws from all law enforcement personnel.'
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Shabazz said the city expects to name a permanent police chief by the end of the week and suggested Lundy's successor could be someone promoted from within the department.
'When I came in, I promised to reform the police department and that's what I'm doing right now. That's the first step in getting this city back on track,' he said.
'Your police department and your school systems — that's what brings people to your city,' he continued. 'The school system is the next thing we're going to address. But the police is most important. I don't want people to think they don't have protection.'
We reached out to Lundy to discuss the matter.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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