Changing of the Guard: Court Program Teaching Offenders How to React to Police to Honor Longtime Commander

Contact:  Ed Ferenc, Public Information Officer
Cleveland Municipal Court
216 664 6787 / 216 789 2597
ference@cmcoh.org     www.cmcoh.org

(Cleveland) – The Cleveland Municipal Court’s Community Orientation Program (COP) honored Deon McCaulley Tuesday, April 27 for his long and dedicated service educating individuals convicted of offenses resulting in negative interactions with police.



COP teaches the rights and responsibilities of citizens when stopped by police.

“It’s about what you should and should not do when encountering the police. Too often a minor traffic stop can turn into a major confrontation, pretty much what we are seeing in the news almost every day,” said McCaulley, who has been with COP since the Court started it in 2008.

The two hour class, offered six times every year, provides information from both legal and policing perspectives and McCaulley says it has been effective.

“Many participants told me they often acted like a knucklehead and now they have a different perspective on police.  It’s all about education,” he said.

From 2018 through 2020, 249 people have attended COP, which for the last year has been conducted virtually due to the pandemic.  Prior to that, the class was taught at Tri-C’s Metro Campus.

The ceremony was held at the Justice Center, Courtroom 15A, where the Honorable  Lauren C. Moore presides and was livestreamed on the Court’s Facebook page.  Judge Moore, along with now Eighth District Court of Appeals Judge Emanuella Groves are responsible for the creation of the program.

McCaulley recently took over the position as Chief of the Cleveland Clinic Police Department.  Filling his shoes as Commander of COP is Cleveland Police Sergeant Reginald Lanton, an instructor at the Cleveland Police Academy.  

For more information on Cleveland Municipal Court’s Community Orientation Program visit http://www.clevelandmunicipalcourt.org/COP.