{"id":21387,"date":"2026-06-04T08:36:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T08:36:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/06\/04\/federal-judge-asked-to-halt-cleveland-clinic-policy-of-detaining-people-who-transport-gunshot-victims-to-er-signal-cleveland\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T08:36:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T08:36:07","slug":"federal-judge-asked-to-halt-cleveland-clinic-policy-of-detaining-people-who-transport-gunshot-victims-to-er-signal-cleveland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/06\/04\/federal-judge-asked-to-halt-cleveland-clinic-policy-of-detaining-people-who-transport-gunshot-victims-to-er-signal-cleveland\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal judge asked to halt Cleveland Clinic policy of detaining people who transport gunshot victims to ER &#8211; Signal Cleveland"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/signalcleveland.org\/\" rel=\"home\">Signal Cleveland<\/a><br \/>A federal judge is being asked to immediately order the <a href=\"https:\/\/signalcleveland.org\/tag\/cleveland-clinic\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1925\">Cleveland Clinic<\/a> to stop detaining people who bring gunshot wound victims to its emergency rooms while a legal challenge to the policy moves forward.<br \/>Signal Cleveland stays free for everyone because readers like you believe in accessible, community-powered journalism. <strong>As one donor put it: &#8220;We need more news that actually cares about us.&#8221;<\/strong><br \/>Get our free daily newsletters to stay in the know.<br \/>&quot;<span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_asterisk\">*<\/span>&quot; indicates required fields<br \/><label>&#916;<textarea name=\"ak_hp_textarea\" cols=\"45\" rows=\"8\" maxlength=\"100\"><\/textarea><\/label><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"ak_js_1\" name=\"ak_js\" value=\"208\"\/><script>\ndocument.getElementById( \"ak_js_1\" ).setAttribute( \"value\", ( new Date() ).getTime() );\n<\/script> <br \/>The request is part of a lawsuit filed on behalf of Ibrahim Alim, who was detained last May after he drove his friend with a gunshot wound to the emergency department. <a href=\"https:\/\/signalcleveland.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Doc-2-CCPD-GSW-policy.pdf\">Signal Cleveland reported on his story last December<\/a>. <strong>At the time, three legal experts questioned whether the<a href=\"https:\/\/signalcleveland.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Doc-2-CCPD-GSW-policy.pdf\"> policy<\/a> \u2014 which instructs the hospital&#8217;s police to detain people and vehicles accompanying gunshot wound victims to the emergency room \u2014\u00a0might infringe on constitutional rights that limit how and when officers can detain individuals. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/signalcleveland.org\/cleveland-naacp-asks-to-pause-hospitals-gunshot-wound-policy\/\">Cleveland\u2019s branch of the NAACP<\/a> also called on the Cleveland Clinic to pause and reverse the policy last year.\u00a0<br \/>In addition to detaining Alim, the lawsuit says officers also unconstitutionally searched him, seized his car keys and used excessive force against him, even though they had no evidence he was involved in a crime. Alim is seeking $10 million in damages, according to the civil rights lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court.<br \/>Alim and his attorneys argued that part of what makes the hospital\u2019s gunshot policy unconstitutional is that it does not require officers to detail why they think an individual was involved in a crime before detaining them. The <a href=\"http:\/\/signalcleveland.org\/ohio-stop-frisk-cleveland-police\/\">Supreme Court has ruled that reasonable suspicion<\/a> is required for police to detain residents.&nbsp;<br \/>The lawsuit also argues that the policy could have a chilling effect on civilians who want to save a life by driving gunshot victims to the emergency room. The attorneys cite Ohio\u2019s Good Samaritan law, which protects residents who provide emergency assistance.<br \/>\u201cThe policy will harm countless future Good Samaritans \u2014 heroes who, like Mr. Alim, will be punished for doing exactly what the law allows,\u201d the filing read.<br \/>Alim\u2019s lawyers have asked a judge to rule swiftly on their request for a temporary restraining order and injunction. They also asked the court to require the hospital to issue new written guidelines regarding constitutional detention and use-of-force procedures for Cleveland Clinic police officers who interact with Good Samaritans arriving at the emergency room.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>The Clinic confirmed Wednesday that the policy at the center of the lawsuit is still in place. Last year, the Cleveland Clinic told Signal Cleveland that dropping off a gunshot victim at the emergency department was enough to raise reasonable suspicion to briefly detain someone.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>The hospital said it is aware of the lawsuit and takes these matters seriously, but it does not comment on pending litigation. The hospital also said it disagrees with the suit\u2019s allegations, which it called false. It did not specify which allegations it contends are false.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/signalcleveland.org\/cleveland-clinic-pitches-new-trauma-center-to-east-side-resident\/\">At a public meeting in February<\/a>, Cleveland Police Chief Deon McCaulley spoke about the policy and said there was \u201cno need\u201d to change it. McCaulley said, at the time, that detention \u201cis just holding a person for an interview.\u201d Doing this after a resident brings in a gunshot wound victim is essential police work, he said. Otherwise the department may fail to gather information crucial to investigating a crime.&nbsp;<br \/>\u201cIt\u2019s a simple conversation,\u201d McCaulley said. \u201cThat\u2019s all the detention is, is a simple conversation to say, \u2018Thank you for bringing this individual to get help at the hospital. Now tell us, where did you find this individual? Who is he? Where did it happen?\u2019 \u2026 And when that conversation is over, the person is generally released.\u201d<br \/>In addition to the Clinic, the lawsuit included 10 unnamed Cleveland Clinic police officers and the City of Cleveland.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br \/>Alim went to the Cleveland Clinic last May after he got a call from a friend who had been shot and needed help.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br \/>He picked his friend up and dropped him off at the emergency department at the Cleveland Clinic\u2019s main campus. After his friend was taken inside for treatment, body camera footage showed that officers took Alim\u2019s keys out of his car. Twenty-three seconds later, after first asking for his identification, officers then pinned Alim against a car and handcuffed him. A struggle ensued, causing officers and Alim to fall to the ground.&nbsp;<br \/>Alim was held for about half an hour in a Cleveland Clinic police car until Cleveland police officers removed him for a conversation, after which he was eventually released without charges. The Cleveland police department identified a separate suspect, who was not Alim, according to police reports.&nbsp;<br \/>In addition to wrongful detention, the lawsuit alleges that when police officers \u201cunlawfully removed Mr. Alim&#8217;s car keys from the ignition of his vehicle,\u201d he was deprived of his property and his ability to leave.&nbsp;<br \/>The lawsuit also accuses Clinic officers of sexually assaulting Alim and using excessive force against him, including an officer forcibly inserting a finger into Alim&#8217;s anus, which caused him physical injury, psychological trauma and emotional distress. The action, according to the lawsuit, was an unlawful body cavity search, the lawsuit alleged.&nbsp;<br \/>(In a police report from the incident, one officer indicated that there could be other explanations for what Alim felt, such as officers\u2019 knees on his rear end.)&nbsp;<br \/>Alim\u2019s attorneys, Dan Smith and Alex Bodiford, are involved in a separate case against Clinic police officers. Bodiford filed a case against the Cleveland Clinic police department in December for unlawfully arresting him in 2024. Bodiford was at the hospital with his mother, who was having surgery. When he attempted to pick up his car from the valet, Cleveland Clinic police officers handcuffed and detained him without probable cause or a warrant, according to the complaint.&nbsp;<br \/>In a court response, the Clinic denied Bodiford\u2019s claims and said he was trespassing after the building closed.<br \/>Signal Cleveland delivers reporting that breaks down complex issues, tracks decisions that shape our lives, and shares the stories of our neighborhoods. Our work helps you make informed choices, navigate local systems and take part in shaping a better Cleveland.<br \/><strong>And we don\u2019t do it alone. Readers like you make this possible.<\/strong><br \/><strong>As one supporter put it: <em>\u201cThey explain things in a way people can understand.\u201d<\/em> Another told us: <em>\u201cSignal Cleveland centers the voices of everyday people.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><br \/>That\u2019s the kind of newsroom we\u2019re building \u2014 together. No paywalls. No spin. Just reporting that listens, explains and shows up for our communities.<br \/>Join the Signal Cleveland Supporters Circle with a gift of just $5. You\u2019ll help sustain this reporting and join more than 1,000 people who believe local news should be accessible to all.<br \/>With gratitude,<br \/>Lila Mills<br \/>Editor-in-Chief<br \/>Signal Cleveland<br \/><b>Health Reporter (she\/her)<\/b><br \/> I aim to cover a broad array of factors influencing Clevelanders\u2019 health, from the traditional healthcare systems to issues like housing and the environment. As a recent transplant from my home state of Kansas, I hope to learn the ins-and-outs of the city\u2019s complex health systems \u2013 and break them down for readers as I do.<br \/>&quot;<span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_asterisk\">*<\/span>&quot; indicates required fields<br \/><label>&#916;<textarea name=\"ak_hp_textarea\" cols=\"45\" rows=\"8\" maxlength=\"100\"><\/textarea><\/label><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"ak_js_2\" name=\"ak_js\" value=\"110\"\/><script>\ndocument.getElementById( \"ak_js_2\" ).setAttribute( \"value\", ( new Date() ).getTime() );\n<\/script> <br \/>Your advertising could be here. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/signalohio.org\/advertise-with-signal-ohio\/\">Let us know if you are interested<\/a>.<\/strong><br \/>More than 40,000 Clevelanders subscribe to Signal Cleveland\u2019s free newsletters to stay informed. Join them.\u00a0<br \/>&quot;<span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_asterisk\">*<\/span>&quot; indicates required fields<br \/><label>&#916;<textarea name=\"ak_hp_textarea\" cols=\"45\" rows=\"8\" maxlength=\"100\"><\/textarea><\/label><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"ak_js_4\" name=\"ak_js\" value=\"8\"\/><script>\ndocument.getElementById( \"ak_js_4\" ).setAttribute( \"value\", ( new Date() ).getTime() );\n<\/script> <br \/>Actionable news and resources, with our newsroom one text away.<br \/>&quot;<span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_asterisk\">*<\/span>&quot; indicates required fields<br \/><label>&#916;<textarea name=\"ak_hp_textarea\" cols=\"45\" rows=\"8\" maxlength=\"100\"><\/textarea><\/label><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"ak_js_5\" name=\"ak_js\" value=\"109\"\/><script>\ndocument.getElementById( \"ak_js_5\" ).setAttribute( \"value\", ( new Date() ).getTime() );\n<\/script> <br \/>Our <strong>free daily newsletter<\/strong> delivers local news, resources and answers \u2014 straight to your inbox. Join 40,000+ subscribers.<br \/><label>&#916;<textarea name=\"ak_hp_textarea\" cols=\"45\" rows=\"8\" maxlength=\"100\"><\/textarea><\/label><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"ak_js_6\" name=\"ak_js\" value=\"198\"\/><script>\ndocument.getElementById( \"ak_js_6\" ).setAttribute( \"value\", ( new Date() ).getTime() );\n<\/script> <br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<label for=\"content-gifting-url\">Link<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" id=\"content-gifting-url\" readonly \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"newspack-ui__button newspack-ui__button--primary newspack-ui__button--wide newspack-content-gifting__copy-button\" data-copy-button> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCopy link\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/rss\/articles\/CBMikgFBVV95cUxPYUFGRVpTdzN3bTUwNEpTcnN2SDZJRFpjWU5XcDY2Ym5xNm9lUUVBTlBOOU1aQURCTWgzaWg5QzI0Ylk2Mmg4LU56U3hKbUpiUEFnY3dpRHlxcEwxNk1xblYyMlhOUWhWYzZSdjFTWHZTNzdVcWRDNndqUks3RHZUYnpDMWNjeHFoTnJhN1BWbHBlUQ?oc=5\">source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Signal ClevelandA federal judge is being asked to immediately order the Cleveland Clinic to stop detaining people who bring gunshot wound victims to its emergency rooms while a legal challenge to the policy moves forward.Signal Cleveland stays free for everyone because readers like you believe in accessible, community-powered journalism. As one donor put it: &#8220;We [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21388,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21387"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21387\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}