Chief Robin Lees reflects on time as chief, differing views for YPD’s future

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown Police Department Chief Robin Lees may have planned to stay in the department until the end of 2021, but differences with Mayor Jamael Tito Brown moved his retirement to Friday.

"He made the decision to move on, and it's just that simple," Lees told Mahoning Matters.

Brown said last week that as he met with Lees to map out a new police policy, it became clear that the pair have different philosophies. In the end, Brown chose to move the department in a direction that includes a new strategy for community involvement.

"I have a vision for the development of community-based policing that will require more interaction with social services, mental health services and extensive training that focuses on the needs of the citizens of Youngstown," Brown said in a news release announcing Lees retirement.

Lees said Brown's direction is not a bad idea for the department, but YPD also needs to be able to perform basic functions before expanding to other services. The department needs to be funded properly for the equipment and training officers need once they arrive on scene, he said.

"When it comes down to it, we send out cops in cars to answer calls," Lees said. "You have to perform that function first and foremost."

During Lees' time as chief, the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence program has grown. It started in 2012 and is a partnership of law enforcement, social service agencies and the community to reduce gun violence in the city.

Lees said he gave Guy Burney, executive director of CIRV, additional staffing so he could be more involved in the community. Over the years, the CIRV has expanded with the help of various agencies to create additional programs, such as My Brother's Keeper and Women of Worth.

"I feel it's one of the most effective prevention programs I've seen in my over 40 years in law enforcement, and I chose to embrace that," Lees said.

Burney said Lees did a lot to help the CIRV program over the years. Lees was able to give Burney assistance from police clerks to help manage the office as well as access to work with community police officers.

"We had a wonderful relationship, and he really supported the work of CIRV in the community," Burney said, adding "There's a lot more to be done so hopefully the next person will continue to build that type of connection to the community so we can be a safe and strong community."

Lees started as an auxiliary officer for YPD in 1976. He was appointed as YPD chief by former Mayor John McNally in 2014 after retiring as a lieutenant in 2011. He was reappointed by Brown in March 2018.

After he started as chief in 2014, Lees had the department trained for community policing philosophies and strategies. The training teaches officers to look at their calls for problem-solving issues and to find ways to offer assistance to community members.

Although all officers in YPD were trained, specific community police officers were provided with social services resources to assist in ways that typical law enforcement officers could not.

"We've done a lot of this stuff maybe to a lesser extent than maybe the mayor would like to see from the future," Lees said, "I don't think that's a bad idea."

Even though the city has seen positive impacts with CIRV, that doesn't mean issues with violence have been erased.

In 2018, there were 28 homicides in Youngstown, which was an increase from previous years. With help from federal and state partners, programs were put into place to reduce the number of homicides. In 2019, there were 20 homicides.

The police department struggled in 2020 by working through a pandemic and an increase in crime in the city. Lees said the increase in crimes has been seen in urban areas on a national level.

The collaboration with state and federal partners was expected to continue into 2020, but the programs were put on hold due to the pandemic. In 2020, there were 28 homicides in the city, which is an increase from 2019.

So far in 2021, two homicides were reported a few days into the new year.

"I don't think that we're really any different than anybody else right now," Lees said.

Mayor Jamael Tito Brown said he will name an interim chief for YPD and then conduct an extensive search for a new chief.

Councilman Jimmy Hughes, 2nd ward, a former city police chief, said he did not wish to comment on the chief's retirement but would reach out to Mahoning Matters when he did.

This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 4:52 AM with the headline "Chief Robin Lees reflects on time as chief, differing views for YPD’s future."