The single most significant development in the evolution of modern day policing is the advent of the “Community Policing” concept of patrol.  Though already an overused and nebulous sounding term, this is a concept that has taken root in both urban and rural settings over the last decade.

In furtherance of this concept of engaging the community, we have incorporated several successful initiatives into our daily endeavors. Some of the more significant ones are:

Bicycle Patrol: In 2007 we began a bike patrol initiative where, weather permitting, our bicycle officer patrolled specific target neighborhoods, engaging residents, merchants, and children alike throughout the Township. The overwhelming success of this endeavor was the catalyst for an additional bike being purchased by Township merchants for our use. This has enabled us to ‘ride’ during all hours of daylight, staffing permitted from mid-April through late October.

Community Diversion Program: Working in conjunction with Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court, our Detective Bureau provides a ‘Juvenile Diversion program’ whereby community youth having been arrested for non-violent misdemeanor offenses, (often peer related) are placed in this program. It is essentially a ‘probation program’ with our Detectives in the role of probation officers. In this capacity they can and do provide the conduit between the errant youth and social service resources, such anger management classes, drug and alcohol counseling, parent/child mediation etc… The remarkable upside of this program is the fact that upon successful completion, the youth have the violation expunged, effectively providing them with not only the much needed tutelage during the time period, but the reward afterward of removing what may well have proved to be a stigmatizing mark on a youths record.

We have determined to expand this program to include a community service component whereby, when appropriate, youthful offenders will be tasked with supervised chores within the community as a component of the probation. This will include things such as snow shoveling and grass cutting for the elderly, painting of hydrants etc…

Partnerships with Community Groups:  Striking out to engage such diverse community groups as M.A.D.D., the Olmsted Early Childhood PTA,  Dara Hosta Scholarship Foundation, etc… we as a Department have made clear our commitment to create and foster a legitimate partnership between us and the community we serve.