Chief Kevin Nietert

Police Chief, South Euclid

Police Chief Kevin Nietert of South Euclid knows the value of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center.  “The police just are not equipped to provide for their emotional needs,” he said.  “As you can imagine, when victims come to us, they are often an emotional wreck—CRCC helps us understand how to get them through the process without re-traumatizing them.” 

Chief Nietert comes from a family tradition of law enforcement: not only was his father a career policeman, both his brothers (including his twin, Kris) currently serve the public in other local jurisdictions.  After a short stint with Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority’s police force, Chief Nietert joined South Euclid as a patrolman in 1986.  “I saw it all on patrol,” he explained.  “An officer sees firsthand the fallout from sexual assault.”

But with his passion for investigation, Chief Nietert soon worked his way up to the detective bureau, where he followed up on initial reports.  Many of the cases he investigated as a detective were sexual assaults.  And it was as a detective that he got an even greater appreciation for the services that CRCC provides.  “Often, when I would request a follow up interview with a rape victim, she was just not ready to talk,” he said.  “CRCC is an important resource. I always involved CRCC during my investigations. Their presence can help make victims feel more supported as they go through the process.”

After being promoted to Assistant Chief in 2004, Chief Nietert has served in his current role for the last three years.  Although he misses investigation and still gets the itch to pick up a case now and then, he does appreciate the opportunity his new position affords him to affect policy.  Chief Nietert believes that law enforcement needs to approach cases of sexual assault without stereotypes or preconceived ideas. 

Chief Nietert points to the recent passage of a law forbidding law enforcement from requesting that sexual assault victims submit to polygraph examinations as an example of the progress being made locally.  He credits CRCC as a leader on these policy efforts, and believes their victim support and professional training sessions are a great resource for police.   “We have to take a case-by-case approach and treat all victims as individuals, give them the time and space they need before speaking with us, and then fairly evaluate the merits of the case,” he explained.