New information has been uncovered surrounding a Cleveland police officer under investigation for allegedly posting antisemitic posts on his social media accounts four years before he was hired.
The FOX 8 I-Team has now reviewed dozens of pages of documents in the personnel file of Cleveland Police Officer Ismail Quran. Nothing in the reports specifically refers to whether his social media accounts were checked before he was hired. One document states public safety conducted the background check. A city official tells the I-Team it doesn’t appear anyone doing his background check knew about the posts.
A review of the officer’s personnel file shows he does not have any prior disciplinary issues and he was named officer of the year in 2019.
In June, Canary Mission, an antisemitism watchdog organization, released several posts allegedly made by Quran in 2014 and posted on his social media account. Many of the posts contained anti-Semitic hate speech and remained on his social media page until June of this year.
The city’s internal investigation started in June. Officials say it is still ongoing and they don’t know how long it will take. Quran is assigned to administrative duties while the investigation is ongoing.
“We are very disappointed,” said Liora Rez, executive director of StopAntisemitism, a national watchdog organization. “It has been at least one month, and we still do not have any answers or updates from Cleveland’s police department.”
Rez tells the I-Team they have reached out to the chief’s office three times but have not received any information. The organization is asking that Quran be fired and his awards rescinded.
“This should be a pretty cut and dry case we feel,” Rez said. “The Cleveland police department should have an easy time sending a loud and clear message to the Jewish community and the community at large that antisemitism among its officers is unacceptable.”
