City officials weigh police department’s need for additional space

by Dan Holland

Aug. 25 work session, Aug. 31 city council meeting

During an Aug. 25 work session, members of Broadview Heights City Council and city officials held preliminary discussions of the possibility of constructing a new police station in the city.

Police Chief Don Polick told council members during the work session that a spatial needs study should be done to determine the size of a new police station.

Councilman-at-Large Joe Price noted that in recent years, while evaluating the need for a new fire station headquarters, currently under construction on city campus, former Police Chief Steven Raiff had indicated his department did not need a new building.

“Number one, I think it’s premature at this time [to discuss a new police station] based on what we were told just two years ago,” Price said. “And, number two, I’m not sold on the company that did the last study [on the fire station], because it seemed like more of a spatial want study than a need study.”

Price noted that council previously discussed the possibility of building a new combined police and fire facility, but was informed it “would not be a consideration.”

Ward 1 Council Representative Tom Pavlica noted that plans to refurbish and upgrade Fire Station No. 1, located at 3591 E. Wallings Rd., to bring it up to safety codes have not yet been initiated.

“The thought was [to complete] the new firehouse — Station No. 2 — and then refurbish and bring up to code Station No. 1,” Pavlica said. “And then at the same time, maybe perhaps, as we’re reviewing Fire Station No. 1, we can start discussions of a police station.”

Ward 2 Council Representative Brian Wolf said he believes a spatial needs study is warranted for a police station.

“I think it’s beneficial to know what we need in the future, and approximately how much it costs,” Wolf said. “Do you want to do that right before you’re going to build a building, or do you want to do it now and know what you’re going to be bargaining for in a few years when and if we decide to build something? I think knowing what they need, and what their deficiencies are, is important.”

“We asked the police chief at the time — it was two years ago — and he said he was fine [with the current police station],” City Council President Robert Boldt said. “That was his point to say, ‘Hey, I have issues,’ but he did not say that. So, I think we need to finish what the chief and the mayor want in both fire stations, and when that’s done — or at least when we’re under construction of Fire Station No. 1 — then I’ll start talking about a study. But I believe we need [a new police station] down the road.”

Mayor Sam Alai weighed in on the topic.

“We need to look to the future,” Alai said. “I want to put together a long-range plan for the safety of this city, and I think we all owe that to the citizens. This isn’t about building a police station right now. This is only looking at what deficiencies we may have and knowing what we need to do if we look at a five- to 10-year plan down the road.”

A tour of the current police station — originally an outbuilding of the former Broadview Developmental Center complex retrofitted for the police department in the late 1990s — was conducted later that week by Polick and Lt. Marco Ambrose and attended by Boldt, Price and Pavlica.

Polick noted during the work session that extensive repairs have been made to the building’s roof and HVAC system in recent years. He also called attention to moisture issues in the basement that have contributed to rusting pipes.

“We have a basement that leaks when it rains. It just literally pours through like a garden hose,” Polick said. “So, we can put it off and wait a couple years and do these things, but if the basement caves in, you’re going to be building a new building anyway, right?”

During an Aug. 31 city council meeting, Boldt announced that he would be forming an ad hoc committee to discuss the police department’s facility needs.

“Based on the complications we had with [approving] the fire station, it really went nowhere until we created an ad hoc committee. Then, within weeks, we came to a resolution where we gave the administration the money to build a new fire station,” Boldt said. “I think the same method should be used for the police station to ensure that both council and the administration work together to come up with the best possible plans.”

Boldt said discussions for a new police station, which he views as a five-year plan, should begin in 2027.

“Down the road, whatever we need to do to build a new police station is warranted, especially because of the level of excellence that our police department provides to the residents,” Boldt said. “They’re top-notch and they’ve made us Ohio’s safest city, so we want to make sure they have the facilities that reflect that.”

Broadview Heights was ranked as the safest city in Ohio four years in a row, including 2026, by safewise.com.

“As Ohio’s safest city, we know in the future that we will need to upgrade our police station,” Boldt said. “Now is the time to evaluate our needs, plan responsibly and make sure any investment supports our officers and our community.”

In other business during the Aug. 31 meeting, council members approved:

• An agreement with the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas for a juvenile diversion program.
• A resolution authorizing the director of finance to certify delinquent grass cutting charges to the Cuyahoga County fiscal officer for collection.
• An agreement with MFI Medical for a Stryker Power-Load Cot fastener system for the city’s fire department.
• A resolution amending an agreement with Geauga Highway Company for the 2026 paving program in the city.