Trustees Corner

As trustee representative for the Sagamore Hills Police Department, most of my interaction with township law enforcement involves the budgeting of the police department. Our expenditures for 2024 were $2.4 million. In 2024, we had 14 full-time officers including the police chief, four part-time officers, and a school community officer paid by the Nordonia school system. In addition, officer Dan DeCrane is the police representative to Rushwood Elementary school. It has been nine years since we contracted dispatch service with the city of Macedonia. We have never lost a call.

The investigation division responded to 292 calls for service in 2024. Of these cases, seven remain open. The others were closed due to restitution, insufficient evidence, uncooperative victims or referral to another agency.

In 2024, the department issued 348 traffic citations and 1,402 written warnings for traffic/equipment violations. There were 23 misdemeanor citations, 25 thefts, 47 fraud instances, and 33 domestic disputes. The total number of arrests for 2024 was 44. 

Calls for service totaled 7,178, which was an increase of 494 calls from 2023. This includes vacation checks, area checks, business checks, foot patrols, school patrols and other assignments. There were 7,376 “patrolled your area” card distributions.

In closing out 2024, every police officer attended ongoing education. This totaled 1,800 hours of training and all officers completed online mandated training by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.

In 2024, the department purchased two new patrol vehicles. One came from a grant obtained by Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree. Updating vehicles is a necessary cost to ensure public safety and to keep up the department’s exceptional response time. The Sagamore Hills Police Department thanks all residents for their support and wants to remind you that if you see suspicious behavior or have non-emergencies, call 330-468-0900 to report. Call 911 for all emergencies.

The Sagamore Hills Board of Trustees wants to congratulate officer Glenn Nicholl on being named the department’s “Employee of the Year.” Glenn is the school resource officer at Rushwood Elementary. 

In May, Sagamore Hills Township would like to REPLACE the police department’s 6-mill levy with a new 6-mill Levy. Why? In the REPLACEMENT of the current 6-mill levy, we wish to eliminate the inflationary reduction factors. 

As an example, in 2012 medical coverage in the police department cost $173,000, last year it was up to $323,000. Two police cars in 2014 cost $57,000, last year, one cost $67,000. Replacing the old 6-mill levy with a new 6-mill levy will allow the police department to continue to protect and serve the residents of Sagamore Hills into the future. In the next edition of the Sagamore Voice, we hope to have the monetary difference for you. Also, check our website, mysagamorehills.com.

In February, Sagamore Hills was notified of a runaway juvenile. Within two days, the juvenile was located and returned home. Police Chief David Hayes wanted to acknowledge Ptl. Chris Salveter, Ptl. Chris Danko, Ptl. Tim Ellis, and Det. Victoria Miavitz for this quick turnaround. The flock cameras and a host of other police departments helped Sagamore Hills officers in returning this juvenile safely home.Remember as we enter spring to watch your speed and for children playing outdoors!