Police Department

The City's Police Department is staffed with 22 full time officers: 1 Chief's Secretary, 2 Administrative/Records Clerks and 12 Auxiliary officers. The department is active in a number of community and school related events and programs.

The dispatch of police services is handled by the Heights Hillcrest Communications Center, a collaborative regional dispatch center, with the communities of Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, University Heights and South Euclid.

The police department has a jail classified as a Temporary Holding Facility, where it can hold arrested persons for 6-hours. The city contracts with the Cuyahoga County Jail to hold prisoners for more than 6-hours.

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

The department also offers assistance with animal problems via a contract for professional animal control service from the City of South Euclid.

Lateral Police Officer Application Packet

(Copies may also be obtained from the receptionist at City Hall)

Download the Lateral Police Officer Application Packet (PDF).

Items of Interest

Help Support Our K-9 Fundraising Effort

Make checks payable to the City of Richmond Heights. In the memo line write Police Canine Fund. Checks can be mailed or delivered to: The City of Richmond Hts. at 26789 Highland Road, Richmond Hts, Ohio 44143 or the Richmond Heights Police Department at 27201 Highland Road, Richmond Hts, Ohio 44143.

Alarms, Business & 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. 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". See more information.

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 Number , model Number , and make of bicycle information and register. Fee for registration is $1.

Bonds

For your convenience, we now have the ability to accept credit card bond payments both at the police department and online. Please call 216-383-6305 for more information.

Community Mediation Program

The new Richmond Heights Community Mediation and Conflict Resolution Service is now available through our Cultural Commission. This is a no cost program that is composed of Richmond Heights' residents who have been trained to assist individuals of our city to resolve issues of conflict before the issue elevates to a more serious problem. If you are in need of such a service or would like more information, please call our mediation voicemail box at 216-486-3777. You may also view our Mediation Service information pamphlet (PDF).

Community Safety Guide

There are many ways you can be a vigilant citizen and keep your family, neighbors and yourself safe. Click to review expert insights on community safety.

Court

Traffic cases that are not waiverable are heard at 8 am every Thursday at Lyndhurst Municipal Court at 5301 Mayfield Road, Lyndhurst, Ohio. (Phone: 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 11:00 pm and 6:00 am. Children 16 and 17 years of age shall not be on the streets between the hours of 12 midnight and 6:00 am, 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 Department
  Phone: 216-443-7028
• Lyndhurst: Pet Supplies Plus, 5471 Mayfield Road
  Phone: 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.

Family Justice Center

Family Justice Center which helps people with family violence issues such as domestic violence and stalking.

Littering

There is a $500 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 Overnight Permit

If you need to request permission for overnight parking in our city, visit the Parking Overnight Permit page to access the automated Front Line program. This easy user-friendly option is a convenient way for you to ensure your car is not ticketed if left overnight on a public street.

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

View the Codified Ordinances of Richmond Heights.

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Locations

See Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Locations.

Parking Vehicles on Street

The City of Richmond Heights Police Department would like to announce the implementation of a web-based application called Frontline. There are certain parking restrictions to help ensure the safe travel and parking of vehicles. City ordinance 351.15A3 reads: There shall be no parking upon either side of any street or highway in the City during the hours of 2 am through 6 am each day. The police department recognizes that there may be limited situations that would allow for permission of this restriction to be granted. Residents may now receive permission for overnight parking via the city's new online automated feature called Frontline. To access Frontline or go to Parking Request and follow the online prompts. Each parking request will require a valid license plate number and must be submitted prior to 2 am of the first day requested. Parking permission will be limited to four consecutive days and a maximum of ten separate requests per year. All vehicles receiving overnight parking permission must otherwise be parked legally (i.e., not in violation of posted signs, fire hydrants, wrong direction, private property, prohibited zones, etc.). All parking requests are subject to snow ban restrictions and you may still receive a parking citation during a snow ban regardless of whether you have entered a parking permission.

For those residents that do not have access to the internet, you may still call our regional dispatch center at 216-486-1234 to obtain permission for overnight parking.

Police Department Programs

The D.A.R.E. program, housewatch checks, alcohol and drug seminars and fingerprinting of juveniles are available to the public.

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.

Ready Notify

Subscribe or unsubscribe from the Cuyahoga County's alert system; a system designed issue emergency notifications to the public. It is similar to the communications systems schools use to notify parents of closures or other time-sensitive information.

Street Lights

If a street light is burnt out, please contact our non-emergency police line at 216-486-1234. If you have a request to restore service to a street light, please fill out a request form (PDF).

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.

911 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 911. Anyone within the City of Richmond Heights having an emergency (a life threatening situation) need only dial 911. 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 911 will be investigated for possible prosecution.

Cuyahoga County Airport Noise Abatement

Noise related to the Cuyahoga County Airport should be reported to the airport directly at 216-289-4111. See more details (PDF).