Police Department

Gene P. Rowe, Chief of Police

The city's Police Department is staffed with twenty-two full-time officers, one part-time officer, six full-time dispatchers, two part-time dispatchers, three correction officers (one full time & two part time), and 14 Auxiliary officers. The department is active in a number of community and school-related programs including; home security checks, drug and alcohol seminars, and the D.A.R.E. Program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and has a Bicycle Unit which is active, weather permitting.

The City of Richmond Heights police department is one of six members of SPAN (Suburban Police Anti-crime Network), a regional police organization which shares resources amongst the member communities. The other member communities are Gates Mills, Lyndhurst, Highland Heights, Mayfield Heights and Mayfield Village.

K-9 Unit - The City has hired Timothy Casto as a part time police officer. Tim brings his canine partner “Kubo” with him. Kubo is trained in police work. Kubo is a 2- year-old German Shepherd born and initially trained in Germany. Officers Casto and Kubo will expand the Department’s capability and expertise in serving the residents of Richmond Heights. Kubo is a general duty police dog and has been trained for tracking, searching and drug detection. Ptl. Casto is 38 years old and has been a part time officer for several years in Ashtabula County.

The department also offers assistance with animal problems via a private professional animal control service.

Items Of Interest

• Alarms, Business and Home:

  City ordinances require that emergency alarm system installers be registered with the city. Residents wishing to install alarm systems, and new residents purchasing a home with an existing alarm system, must obtain an Alarm User Permit from the Police Department. The permit fee is $10.00. City ordinance also provides a penalty charge for false alarms that are responded to by police and fire personnel. Chapter 791 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Richmond Heights addresses "Emergency Alarm Systems".

• Animal Regulations:

  All pets, including dogs, must be confined to the property of the owner; no animals are permitted in the city parks unless they have registered their dog with the Police Department. Any dog or animal complaints, bites, or strays, please notify the Police Department.

• Automobile Licenses:

  A permanent License Bureau, located in Mayfield Hts. at 1581 Golden Gate Shopping Plaza, issues driver's licenses, automobile license plates and stickers, as well as truck, trailer, house-vehicle, motorcycles and motor homes. Call 440-461-2847 for information. Be sure to specify "Richmond Heights" on your application.

• Away From Home/Vacation:

  Notify the Police Department if you will be away for any length of time.

• Bicycles:

  The Police Department provides a voluntary bicycle registration program to all residents. Residents may come to the Police Department with their serial #, model #, and make of bicycle information and register. Fee for registration is $1.00.

• Court:

  Traffic cases that are not waiverable are heard at 8 a.m. every Wednesday at Lyndhurst Municipal Court (www.lyndhurstmunicipalcourt.org) at 5301 Mayfield Road, Lyndhurst, Ohio. (440-461-6500).

• Curfew:

  Children under 12 shall not be on the streets from darkness to dawn. Children 12 to 15 years shall not be on the streets between 11:00p.m. and 6:00a.m. Children 16 and 17 years of age shall not be on the streets between the hours of 12 midnight and 6:00a.m., unless accompanied by some responsible person 21 years of age or older, or a member of his family 18 years of age or older.

• Dog License:

  Cuyahoga County : Dog License Dept. -- (216) 443-7028
  Lyndhurst: Pet Supplies Plus, 5471 Mayfield Rd.— ( 440) 473-9998

• Door-To-Door Salespersons:

  Anyone going door to door selling products or services is required to obtain a permit issued through the Police Department, prior to soliciting. Every such person must have a photo identification card (provided by the Police Department) in his/her possession when going door to door. If they do not adhere to this, call the Police Department at the Non-Emergency number, 216-486-1234. "No Soliciting" stickers are available to residents at both the Police Department and the City Hall Administrative Office. This does not apply to recognized educational, civic, religious, or charitable organizations.

• Driver's License Tests:

  You must get an Ohio State License within 30 days after moving into the state. Tests are given at the Highway Patrol examination station at the rear of the Golden Gate Shopping Plaza in Mayfield Hts. Call 440-461-2847 for an appointment.

• Littering:

  There is a $500.00 fine for any person who shall place or dispose of litter (any paper, trash, garbage, rubbish or junk) in any manner, upon any property within the city.

• Parking Trucks On Private Property:

  Local ordinances prohibit overnight parking of commercial trucks in the driveway or yard. Trucks must be parked in the garage.

• Parking Unlicensed & Inoperable Vehicles:

  The storage of vehicles without current license plates and/or storage of vehicles being inoperable is against the law. Vehicles stored on private property with expired license plates or no license plates and vehicles on jacks or blocks, sitting with flat tires, or having parts missing or glass broken out will be cited. If you have a vehicle you wish to keep and/or restore, it must be kept in a garage. The above violations apply to vehicles stored outside and not those stored in a garage, out of sight.

• Parking Vehicles, Generally:

  Most vehicle parking restrictions are posted with signs or indicated by pavement markings. However, other restrictions are covered by city ordinance and there are no signage or pavement marking requirements, such as, parking on surfaces (public or private) that are not approved for vehicle use, parking within 30 feet of a stop sign, etc. Chapter 351 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Richmond Heights addresses vehicle "Parking Generally" within the city.

  Codified Ordinances of Richmond Heights: www.conwaygreene.com/RichmondHts.htm

  Ohio Clerk of Courts Auto Title Offices: www.bmv.ohio.gov/county/clerk_offices.htm

• Parking Vehicles On Street:

  Parking is prohibited on all city streets between the hours of 2:00a.m. to 6:00a.m. If a condition exists where on-street parking cannot be avoided, contact the Police Department.

• Police Department Programs:

  The D.A.R.E. program, housewatch checks, alcohol and drug seminars, fingerprinting of juveniles, and police station tours are available to the public by simply calling for times.

• Power Outages:

  If your power goes off, do not call the Police Department. The Police Department is usually the first to know of power outages and during such times it is very busy. Tying up a police line and a dispatcher to report your electricity being off prevents someone from calling with a more pressing matter. Call CEI at (800) 589-3101.

  This also applies to questions regarding when the power will be restored. The Police Department puts in a call to the power company when first learning of a power failure and then has no further contact with them until the power is restored. Make such reports and inquiries directly to the power company.

• SNOW REMOVAL:

  No person, firm or corporation shall remove snow from private driveways in the city by means of commercial snow removal vehicles, without first securing a Snow Plow Permit from the Police Department.

• Title Bureau:

  Clerk of Courts Auto Title Department, Golden Gate Shopping Plaza, in Mayfield Heights. Phone 440-442-3537 for information from 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m., Monday through Friday.

• 9-1-1 Emergency Phone Stickers:

  Included with this information is a sticker for your phone. You will note that in a police, fire, or rescue emergency you need only dial 9 - 1 - 1. Anyone within the City of Richmond Heights having an EMERGENCY (a life threatening situation) need only dial 9 - 1 - 1. Immediately upon the dispatcher answering the phone, the caller's name, address and phone number will appear on a screen in front of the dispatcher.

  It will then be necessary for the caller to give the dispatcher information necessary for the city's appropriate department to respond to the call. It is stressed that this is for EMERGENCY ONLY and is not to be used for dog-at-large complaints, rubbish complaints, or anything not considered an emergency.

  Parents should instruct their children on the proper use of the phone and NO TEST CALLS should be made to see if it works. It is illegal to use emergency phone lines for anything other than their intended use. Any non-emergency calls received on 9-1-1 will be investigated for possible prosecution.