On March 30, 2005, Michael McGrath was sworn in as the 39th Police Chief of the City of Cleveland. His appointment as Chief is just one of many accomplishments in a storied law enforcement career.
Chief Michael McGrath earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from John Carroll University in 1973. After graduation, he secured a position with the City of East Cleveland, where he worked as a Patrol Officer, Detective and Sergeant. In 1980 he transferred to the larger suburb of Strongsville, where he was quickly promoted from Patrol Officer to Detective. In 1981, Michael McGrath left the Strongsville Police Department for the much larger Cleveland Division of Police.
Upon graduating as Top Cadet of the Cleveland Police Academy, Michael McGrath was assigned to the First Neighborhood Police District. He became a Strike Force Detective and was responsible for implementing a tracking system that reduced auto thefts by 15 percent. In 1985 he was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to the Fourth Neighborhood Police District. Shortly thereafter, he was assigned to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit. While handling the rigorous demands of SWAT, he developed several certification courses and tracking systems that made SWAT more efficient. His managerial and organizational expertise became renown throughout the Division and led to his appointment as Commander of the Fourth District in 1997.
The Fourth District proved to be a great training ground for the future Chief. He immediately evaluated the District’s record-keeping procedures and developed an accountability system to track Part-1 Crimes and Citizen Complaints. He sought the expertise of business leaders, community groups, social service organizations, and governmental agencies to work collectively in decreasing crime. He was instrumental in using the Children Who Witness Violence Program and Domestic Violence Project to provide his personnel with additional social services resources. Finally, he motivated his staff to implement technology that would increase the efficiency of his workforce. For his efforts, the Fourth Neighborhood Police District earned the coveted District of the Year Award in 2000.
During his career, Chief McGrath has received several awards, including community service awards, distinguished service medals, merit awards, the Medal of Heroism, the Medal of Honor, and a Congressional Certificate of Recognition. He has also received advanced training from local, state, and federal authorities on the subjects of police supervision, threat and risk assessment, incident command systems, accident investigations, ethics, hazardous materials, school shootings, search and seizure, fraud investigations, firearms, and public records law.
Chief McGrath is active in the community by serving on several executive and advisory boards including the Children Who Witness Violence Program, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Family to Family Care Program, the Collaborative for Organizing Mt. Pleasant, and the Fourth District Community Relations Committee.
