Ohio Police Department's Growing Gender Diversity Shows Limits to 1950s-Era Facilities
What to know
• The Lakewood Police Department now has 13 female officers—up from five a decade ago—highlighting space and facility shortcomings in the city’s 1950s-era City Hall, which lacks adequate locker rooms and work areas for a changing police workforce.
• Consultants presented three modernization options ranging from $21.4 million to $39.7 million.
• City leaders expect to narrow down the proposals in early 2026 as they weigh long-term capital impacts, operational needs and public input before selecting a path forward.
LAKEWOOD, OH — Lakewood’s police department now counts 13 female officers among its 99-member sworn force, up from just five a decade ago.
The increase has emerged as a major factor, as city leaders weigh an overhaul of municipal facilities to better support current staff and future hiring needs.
The department’s progress toward gender inclusion began nearly 40 years ago. Lakewood’s first female officer, Leslie Wilkins, joined the force in 1988 after serving as a dispatcher. She later became the city’s first female captain in 2018.
But the city’s aging infrastructure has not kept pace with demographic changes. City Hall, which opened in the mid-1950s, houses City Council, the administration, the police department and municipal court — all of which have struggled with cramped conditions for years.
And the 70-year-old building lacks a separate locker room for female officers, who must change at different times or in the detective bureau, which itself is crowded.
“The rooms, right now as they’re configured, aren’t adequate,” Police Chief Kevin Fischer told council last month, noting that while the department does not expect to grow in size, its changing demographics complicate space needs.
The presentation marked the latest step in a years-long effort to modernize City Hall. Consultants from PMC and Weber Murphy Fox Architects outlined three options, with costs ranging from $21.4 million to nearly $40 million:
- Option 1: Renovate the existing City Hall with a small addition for $21.4 million. This would meet immediate needs but leave little room for growth.
- Option 2: Add a larger expansion to the current building for $30.9 million, giving the police department more space and allowing for future growth.
- Option 3: Purchase and fully renovate the former Board of Education building on Warren Road and convert the current City Hall into a justice center for $39.7 million. This option would provide 90,459 square feet of space compared to 62,000 square feet under Option 1.
The consultants stressed that the price tags with each option at this point are extremely preliminary and subject to change.
Each estimate includes construction, architectural and engineering services, furniture and equipment, and contingency funds. All three options would take years to complete, with timelines stretching into 2028 or 2029. The estimates come two years after the city paid $100,000 for a space study that identified serious deficiencies.
Mayor Meghan George has long favored the Warren Road plan, calling it a chance to modernize city operations and improve police and court facilities.
Council members acknowledged that whichever option they choose will have significant long-term capital budget implications. Council President Sarah Kepple stressed the need for timely decisions, particularly regarding the Warren Road property.
Council is expected to revisit the proposals in upcoming meetings, with public input likely to play a role before any vote. Officials say they hope to narrow the options early next year to keep the project on track for design work and financing discussions.
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