Teachers union calls for action after vehicles damaged at Cleveland school, again

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Seven vehicles were damaged at Clara E. Westropp Elementary School on Monday, prompting the Cleveland Teachers Union president to call for more help from the city.

Cleveland police said the damage was reported at 4:41 p.m. Nov. 2. No property was reported stolen, and no injuries were reported, police said.

Union President Errol Savage said the damage left teachers shaken.

“The teachers were just fearful, emotionally distraught, and just wondering, ‘why does this keep happening to public school teachers?’” Savage said.

Savage said teachers called police, but no officers came to the scene. He said he arrived within 20 minutes and stayed for three hours.

Police said a school security guard reported the damage and a dispatcher said an officer would be assigned when one became available. An officer accepted the assignment at 5:10 p.m. and completed a report, police said. The department’s statement did not specify whether an officer went to the scene.

The First District detective bureau is investigating, police said.

Previous reporting

• CMSD hires 16 Parking Lot Monitors After Staff Car Break-Ins
• CTU calls latest vandalism wave ‘excessive’ after multiple staff vehicles damaged at CMSD school
• Cars belonging to multiple teachers vandalized at Cleveland school, classes canceled

City says patrols have increased

Savage called on Mayor Justin Bibb to focus on school safety.

“We really need the Mayor to focus on making our schools safe places to be for students and teachers,” he said.

The city said Cleveland police are investigating and have increased patrols in school parking lots. It said it is also coordinating with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s safety division and private security personnel.

The district previously said it deployed 16 temporary parking lot monitors at priority locations. CMSD said the monitors are not district security personnel and declined to identify their locations, citing security concerns.

The Westropp incident follows earlier vehicle damage at other Cleveland schools, including Sunbeam Elementary and Kenneth Clement Boys’ Leadership Academy. Classes were canceled at Sunbeam after staff members called off following damage to vehicles there.

Full statement from Cleveland Division of Police:

The Cleveland Police First District is investigating an incident reported on November 2, 2026, at 4:41 p.m., involving damage to seven vehicles at the school. The reporting party, a school security guard, was advised by the dispatcher: “We will get officers over there to take the report as soon as I have a car available.”

At 5:10 p.m., a District officer proactively accepted the assignment and completed a police report documenting the nonviolent property damage incident. No property was reported stolen, and no injuries were reported.

The fact that an officer was not immediately dispatched to the scene does not mean the call was ignored or improperly handled. The assignment was subsequently accepted and the incident documented in accordance with Division procedures. The caller was not told that police lacked the manpower or resources to respond; rather, the dispatcher explained that an officer would be assigned as soon as one became available. Any characterization suggesting otherwise is inaccurate. 

This is an active investigation with our First District Detectives. 

Full statement from City of Cleveland:

The City takes these reports seriously and the Cleveland Division of Police is actively investigating these incidents.The Administration is relentlessly working to address safety concerns in the City of Cleveland, enhancing police presence to help ensure the safety of students, staff, and the surrounding school communities.

In response to these reports, the City has taken action by increasing police patrols in school parking lots and strengthening its coordination with the CMSD Safety Division and private security personnel. The City will maintain this collaborative approach and continue taking proactive steps to enhance security measures and help ensure the safety of students, teachers, and staff.

Through the ongoing RISE Initiative, the City has also engaged in partnerships with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Homeland Security Investigations (HIS); US Marshalls; US Attorney’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP); Adult Parole Authority (APA); Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department, and Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office.

In case of an emergency or to report illegal or suspicious activity, law enforcement should be contacted by calling 9-1-1.If you have information that may assist investigators in apprehending individuals involved in criminal activity, please call the Cleveland Division of Police non-emergency line at (216) 621-1234.