CLEVELAND — The City of Cleveland announced a $21 million investment to modernize its police district buildings, a sweeping upgrade city leaders say will strengthen public safety across the city. The project, unveiled this week, will overhaul aging district facilities and is expected to create 376 local jobs, with the Cleveland Building & Construction Trades Council leading hiring.
The work is being delivered through an energy-savings performance contract with project partner Leopardo Energy, using a budget-neutral approach in which guaranteed energy savings offset the cost of the upgrades. Leopardo says its projects average 120 percent of their forecasted savings guarantees. Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio Lodge 8 President Jim O’Malley praised the investment as long overdue, saying officers have waited years for modernized facilities.
The announcement is part of a broader Bibb administration push on public safety that includes the Mayor’s Office of Prevention, Intervention & Opportunity for Youth and Young Adults, increased officer pay, traffic-calming measures and the SAFE SMART CLE camera-sharing program that connects residents’ cameras with police.
City leaders framed the district upgrades as both a facilities fix and a recruiting tool, arguing that modern buildings help attract and retain officers at a time when departments nationwide are competing for talent. Specific districts slated for upgrades first, along with construction timelines, are expected to be detailed in the coming weeks.
