Independent Monitor: Cleveland police officer's promotion 'deeply concerning'

The Independent Monitoring team overseeing Cleveland police reforms urged the city to create new promotional processes after an officer with a history of lying was promoted to sergeant in June.

The team called Steven Fedorko's promotion an "admitted mistaken promotion" in their 15th Semiannual Report, which was released on Sept. 20.

The team also addressed problems with the city's promotional processes during a hearing with U.S. District Court Judge Solomon Oliver Jr, who oversees the Cleveland consent decree, on Monday.

READ MORE: Monitor: Cleveland makes progress as it moves on from 'unnecessary legal squabbling' over police reform data

According to the monitor's report, Fedorko was promoted to sergeant even though he "knowingly and intentionally lied" about a March 2017 arrest, which caused Jo-Nathan Luton to spend nearly nine months in jail.

A 2019 civil rights lawsuit filed by Luton alleges Luton's family called Cleveland police for help because Luton was experiencing a mental health crisis.

Fedorko was one of three officers who responded to the call.

The lawsuit alleges Fedorko and the officers "attacked" Luton after he ran from them. The lawsuit also alleges officers were "pressing their knees into Luton's back and neck... kicking him... and twisting his ankle... causing him injuries."

In a police report, Fedorko claimed Luton kicked him and broke his toe, according to the lawsuit.

Luton spent more than eight months behind bars.

But Fedorko's "claim was entirely fabricated," according to the monitor's report.

Records show Fedorko's toe was broken when a piece of furniture was thrown during Luton's arrest. Cleveland police found Fedorko guilty of 16 administrative violations.

Former Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams recommended termination. But former Cleveland Public Safety Director Michael McGrath ordered a 30-day suspension.

Captain James O'Malley is the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 8. He said only the last three years of discipline are reviewed when an officer is being considered for a promotion.

"If an officer is disciplined, it's kind of like at what point do you stop wearing the scarlet letter of being disciplined?" O'Malley asked. "There has to be a time frame on this."

O'Malley said Fedorko did not have any disciplinary actions taken against him during the last three years.

"He's learned his lesson and with the shortages that we have in the police department and the supervision, you've got somebody who is doing the job that has not had any [recent] issues," he said. "Why punish them further? That's kind of ridiculous to me."

News 5 reached out to Sgt. Fedorko, Jo-Nathan Luton's attorney, and Cleveland Safety Director Wayne Drummond.

No one responded to our requests for on camera interviews Friday.