Mayor and police chief highlight school-zone enforcement; council member underscores national school-safety statistics

Beachwood's mayor and the city's police chief used the Sept. 2 council meeting to highlight stepped-up school-zone enforcement and community safety measures as the school year begins.

The mayor told council that citations in school zones have "tripled" compared with the same time last year and said that increase "is a clear indication that our officers are prioritizing student safety." He thanked Chief Crispino for his work and noted Sept. 3 would mark the chief's one-year anniversary with the city.

Police Chief Crispino thanked community members who attended National Night Out and described stepped-up security measures ahead of high holy days and other events. "We're one of the few communities that has an officer assigned full time to the Joint Terrorism Task Force," Crispino said, noting that the department's enhanced coordination with state and federal partners provides timely information and supports saturated patrols near religious institutions and neighborhoods.

Council Member Stern framed the local measures in a national context, citing federal statistics: "There have already been 44 school shootings in the U.S. this school year as of August 27," she said, and emphasized the city's Store It Safe program, which educates families about keeping firearms locked and out of reach. Stern also urged those in emotional crisis to call or text 988.

Council members and the mayor credited officers, school resource officers and the recreation department for efforts to keep students safe as the school year begins.