The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association made waves locally when it endorsed Donald Trump for President early last month. The endorsement was unprecedented: the CPPA had never thrown its weight behind a presidential candidate before, and many Clevelanders wondered why, when tensions between the community and police were already so strained, the rank and file union would throw fuel on the fire.

WKYC’s Russ Mitchell locked horns with CPPA Prez Steve Loomis at the time, reminding him of the “volatile relationship” between the community and the police. Opposition to the endorsement remained “baffling” to Loomis, who said he was merely looking out for his officers.  

The CPPA released a list yesterday of its other recommendations at the polls, encouraging members to vote however they saw fit, but offering its take on candidates and causes in the best interests of police.

In addition to Donald Trump, CPPA-supported candidates included Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Rob Portman; and Republican candidate for the U.S. Houe of Representatives, Beverly Goldstein.

The CPPA advised that it was in favor of the city’s proposed income tax increase (Issue 32), in large part because the extra funds would go toward improving the quality of police life on and off duty. The CPPA was also in favor of the charter amendment making changes to the police review board and professed to have no opinion on the renewal of the school levy.

This article appears in Nov 2-8, 2016.

Sam Allard is a former senior writer at Scene.