Investigator Exclusive: Allegations of broken promises jeopardize officer's memorial

CLEVELAND -- It was supposed to be a lasting memory to a Cleveland police officer killed in the line of duty.

Yet two years after Cleveland Police Officer Derek Owens was gunned down during a drug deal in February 2008, almost nothing has been done to make those plans a reality.

Within weeks of Owens' death, city leaders, including City Councilman Zach Reed, unveiled their plan for a memorial park near the Fourth District, where the 36-year-old husband and father of two spent his career.

During the news conference, Reed told the crowd that, "The Lord spoke to my heart and said, 'That's where I want you to build the Derek Owens Memorial Park.'"

Cleveland Police Patrolman's Association President Steve Loomis said Reed has broken his promise.

"We're not one inch closer to this thing happening than we were two years ago," Loomis said. "I warned him early on that I would not tolerate a grandstand on the grave of a dead hero, a fallen officer, and that's all he did."

Reed told Channel 3 News there has been progress, including a $10,000 city grant so an architect can draw up the plans.

"Do I wish it would have happened faster? Of course I do. But it hasn't," Reed said. "It has not fallen off the radar screen."

He also said it's Loomis who hasn't followed through.

"Loomis has been a no-show," Reed said. "He doesn't come to meetings. He doesn't return phone calls."

Reed said the next step is to raise nearly $1 million so the park can be finished sometime next year. He hopes half will be raised by council.

"If all the council people come together and help us out, we can reach the $500,000 plateau," Reed said. "The question is, can we reach the million dollar plateau?"

Loomis wonders why it has to cost so much and take so long. "We're not talking about building the Taj Mahal here," he said. "I wouldn't anticipate it taking more than a month. We have people lined up waiting to do the work, waiting to donate the work, waiting to donate the supplies."

City Council President Martin Sweeney said he recently held a meeting with police brass after talking with Owens' widow.

Among other ideas they are considering is possibly renaming a swimming pool after Owens, Loomis said. But Jim Milano, who's offered to donate a monument to the park, says Owens deserves to have a park in his honor.

"This is going to be there for hundreds of years," Milano said. "So if it does take a little extra time to get it done the right way, I'm all for it."

Reed said he hopes the police union will come back to the table and help him raise money for the park.

But Loomis said that's not going to happen, preferring to move ahead without Reed.

Both sides, however, made it clear they want to build the park. How that will happen is an open question, but Sweeney said he's committed to making the Owens family happy.