Westlake Police Department
27300 Hilliard Blvd.
Westlake, Ohio 44145
EMERGENCY 9-1-1
Phone: 440-871-3311
Fax: 440-835-6444

24 hours a day/7 days a week
Records Room: Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
To visit the Westlake Police Department Website, click here

The Westlake Police Department provides 24-hour law enforcement and emergency services to all persons living, working or visiting the city. Traditional police services such as accident and crime investigation, arrests or citations of traffic and criminal law violators, assistance with interpersonal disputes, rectifying traffic and personal safety hazards are all delivered by uniformed and plainclothes officers.

Chief
Richard A. Walling

Public Information Officer
Capt. Guy D. Turner

Community Police Academy
Lt. William Eschenfelder

Auxiliary Police Liaison Officer
Lt. Ray Arcuri

Juvenile Officer
Detective Patty Weisbarth

D.A.R.E.
Officer Ken Delfing

School Resource Officer
Officer Scott Fortkamp

Crime Prevention
Officer Jason Carman

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Civil Service Exam for Police Department Entry

A Civil Service test was held on October 6, 2007 for positions on the Westlake Police Department. A list of qualified applicants is developed from those tested and is used for hiring until the next test is administered. Westlake holds these exams approximately every two years.

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Community Policing Activities

• Are You OKAY Senior Calling Service
• Auxiliary Police Force
• Beginning Drivers
• Bicycle Patrol Unit
• Bike Rodeo
• Block Watch
• Career Shadowing Program
• Child Safety Fingerprinting
• Child Safety Seat Check
• Civilian Fingerprinting
• Community Collection Drives
• Community Diversion
• Community Police Academy
• Community Services Officers
• Conflict Resolution
• Cuyahoga County Family & Children First Council

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• DARE
• Eddie Eagle Firearm Safety Course
• Home Firearms Safety
• Motorcycle Patrol
• None for 21
• One Tough Computer Cop
• Rape Agression Defense
• Ride Along Program
• Safety Pup
• Safety Town
• School Resource Officers
• Speed Command Alert Trailers
• Summer Safety
• Teen Police Academy
• Vacation House Watch
• WEB Task Force
• Westlake Assistance Program

Community Police Academy
The 18th session was held Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. for 12 Wednesdays through May 9 (graduation ceremony). Applications for upcoming sessions are available at the Police Department. For more information see below and/or call Lt. Eschenfelder at 440-871-3311 ext. 246.

Teen Police Academy
To foster better relations between police officers and adolescents, a Teen Police Academy is offered to students who live in Westlake and attend high school. The seven week course is held on Saturdays for two hours a session. Students are given an insider's look at the Police Department.

One Tough Computer Cop
Detective Tim Tolaro, the designated departmental computer forensic officer and computer crime expert, has received extensive federal training in computer crimes. A free computer program titled One Tough Computer Cop is available to residents to examine the contents of their home computers. Detective Tolaro gives instructional sessions on the program to parents; these seminars are held at the library. The program can detect hidden and deleted files that may be related to sex, weapons, drugs or inappropriate photographs.

Cuyahoga County Family & Children First Council
Chief Richard Walling and School Resource Officer Scott Fortkamp serve on the Cuyahoga County Family & Children First Council, the county planning and policy entity for promoting collaboration between different levels of government that serve children and families in the county.

Vacation House Watch
Residents are encouraged to notify the Police Department when they are taking vacations so that uninhabited homes (for short or long durations) can be watched. The police department assigns officers to visit homes on the Vacation House Watch to check that the residence is safe and secure. Residents are also encouraged to notify the Police Department when a residence will be left unoccupied during a family funeral or wedding.

Westlake Assistance Program
Each year at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Police Department works with the Westlake Community Center by delivering food baskets and donating funds to fill the baskets for needy Westlake families. With the Police Department's help, last year the Westlake Assistance Program was able to help 83 families at Thanksgiving and 90 families at Christmas. The food is collected throughout the city at drop-off points (including the Police Department) and then sorted at the Community Center.

Are You Okay
The Westlake Police Department also works with the Westlake Community Center with a senior home check calling service called "Are You Okay?" Participating senior citizens in the city receive a daily call to check on their welfare. If the call is not answered, the Police Department is notified and an officer goes to the home to be sure the senior citizen is all right.

Ride-Along Program
The Ride-Along Program is available to students and residents of the city of Westlake. A rider may observe the tasks of an officer firsthand by patrolling the city for an entire or partial shift. Officers answer questions and explain some of their duties during the ride. In 2004, the Police Department hosted 112 civilian riders.

Home Firearms Safety Program
The two-evening Home Firearms Safety Program class for adults is taught by Officer Pat Kelly. After a first-night session of classroom instruction, on the second night, the students are taken to the Police Department range for hands-on firearms training. Students may bring their own unloaded weapon to use on the range. The Home Firearms Safety Program attracted 30 participants and was offered three times in 2004, including one session for “ladies only.”

Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program
Students in grades 3 through 6 are offered a hands-off gun safety class called the Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program led by Officer Pat Kelly, the department’s firearm specialist. The program teaches children what they should do if they encounter a gun: don't touch it and tell an adult. It also reinforces the dangers of handling a weapon.

Block Watch
The Police Department offers a Block Watch program in which residents learn how to effectively watch their neighborhood for any suspicious or illegal activities. Everyone is safer when residents as well as the Police Department watch the neighborhood.

Rape Aggresion Defense
The R.A.D. Class (Rape Aggression Defense) is offered to women who live or work in Westlake. The instructor, Westlake Police Department Secretary Chris Schumann, is a black belt in the martial arts. This comprehensive course for women begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance, then progresses on to the basics of hands-on defense training. The R.A.D. system provides effective options by teaching women to take an active, responsible role in their own self-defense and psychological well-being.

Summer Safety
The Police Department is called upon often to give talks on Summer Safety at the Westlake Recreation Center. Such talks were given at several schools and preschools as well. Subjects covered included bicycle/helmet safety, playground safety, stranger danger, and the importance of child safety seats and seat belts.

WEB Task Force
The WEB Task Force (Special Weapons and Tactics, a.k.a. S.W.A.T.) is made up of specially trained officers from the Police Departments of Westlake, Bay Village, Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Lakewood and Rocky River. Six Westlake officers serve on the S.W.A.T. unit and participate in monthly training sessions and exercises. In 2004, the S.W.A.T. Team was called out seven times.

D.A.R.E.
The Westlake Police Department continues its very successful D.A.R.E. program in the city's public and private schools. Officer Ken Delfing and Officer Roseanna McCoy teach the D.A.R.E. Program. Officer Delfing is not only working in our schools but he also serves as a senior D.A.R.E. mentor, instructing other D.A.R.E. mentors who in turn to teach officers how to conduct the D.A.R.E. program in their communities.

Each year two deserving Westlake High School seniors are awarded a D.A.R.E. Program Scholarship. Applicants are required to write essays about staying free from drugs and alcohol and about the benefits of staying healthy. The D.A.R.E. officers and school officials review the essays and select the winners.

D.A.R.E. for Parents is offered to Westlake parents who are interested in learning more about the dangers that drugs and alcohol pose to their children. Juvenile Detective Patty Weisbarth, Detectives Jim Janis and Tim Tolaro, and School Resource Officer Scott Fortkamp join D.A.R.E. Officer Ken Delfing in a fact-filled evening that includes information on laws and ordinances.

Juvenile Detective Patty Weisbarth and School Resource Officer Scott Fortkamp have participated in a panel discussion at Westlake High School hosted by the Westlake Parent Connection on the subject of teenage drinking and drug use. Topics included inhalant abuse (huffing), sexual activity among teens, appropriate sex education, the penalties for those who host drug and alcohol parties, curfew, cigarette smoking, and other issues of concern to parents.

Motorcycle Patrol
With the addition of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to the department's fleet, Officer Jeff Hernandez and Sgt. Mark Krumheuer have the opportunity to patrol our city in yet a different fashion. The Motorcycle Patrol enables these officers to be in places where a patrol car cannot go. Officer Hernandez participated in the Cops & Kids Motorcycle Toy Run and various city parades.

Bicycle Patrol Unit
The Westlake Police Department has specially trained sworn and auxiliary officers perform their duties with the Bicycle Patrol Unit. Led by Lt. Ray Arcuri, the unit can also go places in the city where patrol cars cannot and interacts with neighborhood residents in a way that an officer in a patrol car often cannot. The Bicycle Patrol Unit recognizes children using bike helmets by presenting them with certificates from the AAA Helmet Smart Bicycle Program.
The Bicycle Patrol Unit patrols at full strength on Halloween night with officers assigned to residential areas during "trick or treat" hours. They provide children with night reflective bags and cycle through neighborhoods providing protection to children and increasing awareness to the motoring public. They also bike around school buildings on the last day of classes to discourage excessive rowdiness.

Community Service Officers
The Westlake Police Department has four Community Service Officers, K. Rodney Stemen, Anna Cavender, Larry Fischbach, and Von Crossland. These four part-time officers assist with traffic control, vehicle lockouts and disabled vehicles, check child safety seats and patrol streets. This work enables sworn officers to concentrate on traffic enforcement and deterring crime.

Safety Pup
Community Service Officers Stemen and Cavender work with the National Child Safety Council's "Safety Pup" Program, which teaches young children safety and drug education. Part of the program entails their wearing a Safety Pup costume to reinforce the lessons learned.

Career Shadowing Program
Students from local high schools are welcome to spend time at the Police Department as part of a Career Shadowing Program as well as the O.W.E. Program (Occupational Work Experience Program). The period of time can be one day or several as arranged with the school. Students have spent time with patrol officers out on the road, detectives in the Detective Bureau and dispatchers in the Communication Center, as well as the Animal Control Officer chasing the occasional stray animal. In 2004, two college students served internships to complete their degree requirements.

Conflict Resolution
The Westlake Police Department can provide referrals for Conflict Resolution. Police refer minor matters such as neighbor and property line disputes or parent/child conflicts to a trained mediator. Both parties then try to reach a mutually acceptable solution.

Community Diversion Program
Juveniles who have gotten into trouble with the law have the opportunity on their first offense to appear before a magistrate from the Community Diversion Program. The program is designed to allow first time offenders who admit their transgression to "work off" their sentence by community service, essay writing on the dangers of their delinquent behavior, or counseling for a variety of problems. Upon completion of the sentence, the juvenile's offense is "forgiven." In 2004, four volunteer magistrates saw 66 juveniles.

Bike Rodeo
The Bike Rodeo is offered to elementary school children to emphasize safe bicycle riding. Police officers set up bicycle riding courses and prizes are given to all participants. The grand prize – a new bike – is raffled off among all the bike riders.

Civilian Fingerprint Program
The Westlake Police Department has several officers and civilian personnel trained to participate in the Civilian Fingerprint Program. Any resident of Westlake or anyone working in Westlake or applying for a job in Westlake may have to be fingerprinted for a number of reasons, including licensing, employment requirements, child care, employment at a parochial school, volunteering to work with children, senior caregivers, and as a requirement to enter many post graduate schools. There is no charge for this service; however, the person being printed is required to have proof of identity and supply his or her own fingerprint card. A total of 589 people were fingerprinted at the Westlake Police Department for these purposes in 2004.

The department also teaches the skill of fingerprinting to Boy Scouts for merit badges along with photography, first aid and CPR.

Child Safety Fingerprinting Program
Several times throughout 2004, the Police Department was asked to do fingerprinting as part of the Child Safety Fingerprinting Program. Officers and trained civilian personnel provided this service at events at Regal Theaters, St. John West Shore Hospital's New Emergency Room Dedication, Holly Lane School, the Harvest for Hunger rally, Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA, and other locations.

None for 21
The Police Department in May 2004 once again kicked off the None for 21 anti-drinking campaign in conjunction with Prom Night. For this program, letters are sent to area merchants and hoteliers, reminding them that Westlake Police Department does not tolerate underage drinking or sales to minors at any time.

School Resource Officer Scott Fortkamp and Officer Ken Delfing gave Fatal Vision Demonstrations to high school students. Fatal Vision glasses, when worn, show how vision impairment affects coordination when a person is under the influence.

Beginning Drivers
Chief Walling participated in a panel for a Beginning Drivers Seminar by Drive Team at Westlake High School presented to parents and teens in March of 2004.

The Westlake Police Department lends out traffic cones to assist parents in teaching driving skills to their children and also to various block parties to close roads, thus providing a greater degree of safety to those present. In 2004, traffic cones were lent out to the community 55 times.

Speed Command Alert Trailers
The Police Department maintains two Speed Command Alert Trailers (SCAT) that are placed throughout the city. The SCAT trailers flash the speed that a vehicle is traveling as the vehicle approaches. Residents are encouraged to request the SCAT trailer be set up in areas where violations are frequent. SCAT trailers were placed around the community 167 times in 2004.

School Resource Officers
Since 2001, Officer Scott Fortkamp has been the School Resource Officer at Westlake High School where he maintains an office and has an open door policy for all students and staff. He also conducts a Behavior Improvement Program and is constantly seen walking the halls and visiting classrooms talking to students. Officer Fortkamp also attends after school activities such as dances and sports events. His presence at the high school has had a positive effect at the school as well as on the perception of the police by students.

In 2004, Officer Ken Delfing was appointed the School Resource Officer at Lee Burneson Middle School. Officer Delfing provides the same services to the middle school students as are offered at the high school.

Safety Town

2008 Safety Town Registration set for May 10
For parent information, registration forms, and student volunteer registration, click here.

Westlake Safety Town continues a 30-plus year tradition of educating children entering kindergarten about traffic safety. Classes are offered in two-week sessions throughout June and July. To accommodate the changing time demands of our society, one all day Saturday session is offered. This past year Community Service Officer Anna Cavender and Safety Town Director Olivia Schilens worked with 168 student volunteers to teach 271 pre-kindergarten children such things as crossing the street while looking "left, right and left again," safe school bus procedures and cautions about strangers. The children visited the fire and police stations for tours. In 2004, enrollment of students included 233 Westlake residents and 38 non-resident students including children from Virginia, Oklahoma and Massachusetts. At the end of the Safety Town summer, student volunteers were all treated to a pool and pizza party at Clague Park.

Auxillary Police Force
The Auxiliary Police Force of the Westlake Police Department has 22 active members. The auxiliary continues to assist sworn police officers with tasks such as traffic control, civic events and parades, weather-related emergencies, and also conducts a nightly Park Patrol of our city's parks, schools and municipal facilities.

Police Station tours are available to interested groups of people including nursery school classes, scout troops and high school students.

Child Safety Seat Check
Several members of the Westlake Police Department attended classes and can now check the installation of Child Safety Seats. Anyone from any community can come to the Westlake Police Department to have his or her child's safety seat inspected. The Police Department inspected 270 child seat installations in 2004. The department also participated in NewsChannel 5's National Child Passenger Safety Week and the Operation ABC Mobilization (America Buckles Up Children).

Community Collection Drives
The Coats for Kids Campaign brought in 290 coats, 49 hats, 48 pairs of gloves or mittens, four scarves, five sweaters, six pairs of socks and one pair of shoes in November and December with the help of the Westlake Schools Transportation Department.

The Westlake Police Department also served as a drop off point for food collection drives throughout the year. The police department also collects unwanted cell phones that are turned over to the Westlake Community Center to provide senior citizens with a cell phone that can dial 911 for help.

The Westlake Police Department's jail donated eight used mattresses to St. Joseph's Shelter in Lorain.

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For a brief digest of some "laws for everyday life", click here.

To access Westlake's Codified Ordinances, complete and updated, click here.

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The Westlake Police Department takes every opportunity possible to recognize human excellence: Each year the sworn officers are asked to vote for their choice for Officer of the Year. In 2004 his peers chose Officer John Jereb. While off duty, Officer Jereb interrupted suspects breaking into cars, helped arrest another suspect trying to steal a vehicle, and performed other praiseworthy duties.

On March 3, 2004 a very surprised young man named Bobby Testa received a surprise visit from Officer Casey Carty at his home. Officer Carty was delivering a letter from Chief Walling commending Bobby for his honesty and citizenship. He had found a wallet and turned it over to the Police Department.

On June 26, Sgt. Robert Walling was honored as the American Legion Ohio Department's Law Officer of the Year. Sgt. Walling was honored for saving the life of a suicidal man who was standing in traffic on Interstate 90. Sgt. Walling wrestled him out of the roadway and saw to his hospitalization. The award was presented to him at the Legion's annual conference in Toledo.

In October 2004, President George W. Bush made a campaign stop in the city of Westlake. After landing at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Air Force One, the President traveled by motorcade to the Westlake Recreation Center, where he spoke to a crowd estimated at 25,000. Several days prior to the president's visit, the Westlake Police Department worked with the Secret Service and numerous other federal agencies to plan security for a safe visit. From the moment Air Force One touched down, at least one Westlake police officer was present. Two weeks earlier, then National Security Advisor (now Secretary of State) Dr. Condoleeza Rice also visited Westlake to speak to the City Club of Cleveland at LACENTRE. Her visit was completed without incident.

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The U.S. Conference of Mayors and the U.S. Department of Justice recognized 21 of the Westlake Police Department's community policing programs as "Best Practices of Community Policing" in the Conference's 2004 Volume of Best Practices series. Large departments such as Los Angeles, Baltimore, Seattle, Salt Lake City, and New York City had one, two or three programs recognized.

The Westlake programs named "Best Practices" are:

• Are You OKAY Senior Calling Service
• Auxiliary Bike Patrol
• Behavior Improvement Program
• Bike Rodeo
• Career Shadowing
• Child Fingerprinting
• Child Safety Seat Inspections
• Civilian Fingerprinting
• Community Police Academy
• Community Service Officers
• Eddie Eagle Firearm Safety Course

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• Fatal Vision Goggles
• Home Firearm Safety Course
• Teen Police Academy
• One Tough Computer Cop
• Parent Connection
• Police Internships
• Police Mountain Bike Patrol
• Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) Systems-Basic Self Defense
• Safety Pup
• Safety Town

Community Policing Programs

• AAA Helmet Smart Program
• Assist at Block Parties
• Auxiliary Police Bicycle Patrol Unit
• Beginning Drivers Seminar
• Behavioral Improvement Program
• Bicycle Patrol Unit
• Bicycle Rodeo
• Bomb Threat Training
• Career Day at WHS
• Career Shadowing Program
• Child fingerprinting
• Child Safety Seat Check Program
• Citizen of the Year Award
• Civilian fingerprint program
• Coats for Kids Campaign
• Community Diversion Program
• Community Police Academy
• Community Service Officers
• Conflict Resolution
• Counsel Boy Scouts for merit badges
• Crime Prevention Program
• DARE for Parents
• DARE Program (extended into Middle School & high school)
• DARE Scholarship program
• Delivery of food baskets to needy Westlake families
• Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program (for grades 3rd through 6th)
• Fatal vision demonstrations
• Firearms Safety Program (adults)
• Food/cellular phone/eyeglass collections

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• Halloween safety bags distributed to children
• Kops and Kids (Officers take kids to basketball games etc.)
• Motorcycle Patrol
• National Day of Prayer
• National Library Week
• Neighborhood Block Watch
• "None for 21" anti-drinking campaign
• One Tough Computer Cop
• Parents that Host the Most-Lose the Most
• Park & Walk
• Park Patrol
• Police Intern Program
• Police K9 Demonstrations
• Police Station Tours
• Professional Development Day
• Promenade of Westlake Kid's Day
• RAD (Rape Aggression Defense Program for women)
• Ride-Along Program
• Safety Pup Program
• Safety talks to businesses/organizations/homeowners
• Safety Town
• School Resource Officer
• Senior Home Check Calling Service
• Speed Commander Alert Trailers (SCAT)
• Teddy Bears given to children in crisis situations
• Teen Police Academy
• Vacation House Watch
• Westlake Parent Connection
• Youth Leadership Camp