# Safety Committee, October 28, 2026

Cleveland City Council’s Safety Committee met October 28, 2026, for a pre-budget operational review of the Division of Police and Division of Fire. Police officials reported 1,233 sworn members against a budgeted 1,350, with 63 recruits who graduated in 2026 now on the street. The committee discussed fleet condition and plans to acquire new all-white marked patrol vehicles, helicopter-electronics upgrades requested in the 2027 capital plan, overtime and budget monitoring, and traffic-enforcement resources. Officials said the Connect and Protect grant’s call-type analysis contract had been signed and planning had begun; contracts for mental-health dispatchers and community-survey work were selected or in progress but not yet finalized. Members raised concern that the grant was originally due to end September 30, 2026, while its central clinical-dispatcher work had not started, and requested an updated grant timeline. No votes were taken; members requested further budget, staffing, recruitment, and performance data, including quarterly traffic-enforcement reports.

Fire officials reviewed a proposed facilities-modernization program: repairs across all 24 stations, additions or space modifications at 12, and a separate longer-term need to replace nine stations. Administration said legislation for a refresh-and-renew program, described as similar to the police facilities program and involving a proposed Leopardo contract, would come before Council; station replacements are not included. Officials cited nationwide apparatus shortages and lead times of roughly two years, noted that used equipment had been purchased to supplement spares, and said three blocker-truck/attenuator units were expected to be in service by year-end, with a fourth equipment request anticipated in the capital plan. The committee also discussed recruitment marketing and diversity, station and equipment condition, and fire-inspection requirements. Members requested further information on procurement, recruitment, staffing, and facility plans; no contract award or spending vote occurred at the meeting.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Public Safety, Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 28, 2026

### Sources
- [Safety Committee, October 28, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0lA1XQECjY) - Cleveland City Council