East Cleveland Police Chief Brian Gerhard resigns, still getting paid

East Cleveland Police Chief Brian Gerhard has resigned "for purposes of retirement," according to a resignation agreement obtained by News 5.

The agreement said the terms became effective June 14, but East Cleveland will continue to pay Gerhard until Dec. 15, 2024.

Gerhard was placed on paid leave in December 2023 after News 5 obtained copies of text message memes sent and received from the chief's cell phone that contained antisemitic, racist, and homophobic content.

East Cleveland Law Director Willa Hemmons said the city agreed to the agreement to avoid litigation with Gerhard. She said his attorney mentioned violations of Gerhard's right to free speech during their negotiations.

"It's just a sad situation," she said. "Hopefully this agreement will rectify some of the harm and hurt and we will be able to move forward."

Late last year, attorney Kimberly Kendall Corral sent News 5 copies of alleged text message memes that were sent or received on the chief's cell phone that contained antisemitic and racist content.

RELATED: Attorneys for charged E. CLE officers allege police chief texted antisemitic messages

The content was so triggering that News 5 couldn't show the content on television or our website.

McKoy said he was disappointed when he saw the content Gerhard was sharing on his cell phone.

"I was trying to work with him, but the words he used against all kind of nationalities... he said it was a joke, but that can't be no joke," McKoy said.

Community activist Art McKoy said he is glad Gerhard resigned, even though the police chief will still receive a paycheck for five more months.

"Whatever the agreement was, Gerhard, former chief Gerhard, definitely needed to go," he said.

"It ain't what we wanted," McKoy said. "He shouldn't gotten nothing, but that's the legality of it so we bid him adieu. Take that money, go on the farm, and live happily ever."

He hopes Gerhard's departure will be the beginning of positive changes in the city's troubled police department.

Nineteen East Cleveland police officers have been indicted on criminal charges since 2022.

"East Cleveland can make that police turnaround that's been coming a long time so I'm still optimistic," he said.

Attorney Kimberly Corral said the content, allegedly texted between June 2019 and August 2022, did not come from her client Kyle Wood but from other former East Cleveland police officers who wanted the public to be aware of Gerhard's behaviors.

“This was a barrage of targeted, very specific content that targeted Jewish people, people of color," Corral said during an interview last year.

“We know that coming forward with Gerhardt’s wrongdoing doesn’t make other indictments go away, but it does take steps to prevent ongoing racist, antisemitic, sexist and homophobic persecution," she said.

Gerhard responded to the allegations in December 2023 regarding the texted memes, issuing the following statement:

"The ridiculous and unwarranted attack on my character by the attorney's representing former East Cleveland Police officers facing charges and convictions in Cuyahoga County Court won't have an impact on the cases against them. The memes involved were simply World War II content sent to my personal cell phone."

News 5 reached out to Gerhard on Wednesday. He did not respond to our calls.

Gerhard became chief in October of 2022. He has been with the department since 1998.