Data highlights a 22.8% reduction in homicides, a 34.9% reduction in grand theft motor vehicle offenses, and a 33.9% reduction in robberies.

CLEVELAND – September 14, 2026 – Mayor Justin M. Bibb, members of his Administration, and law enforcement partners today announced the results of the City of Cleveland’s 2026 Summer Safety Plan, a coordinated, citywide effort focused on preventing violence, improving neighborhood quality of life, creating opportunities for young people, and bringing City Hall directly into Cleveland communities.

"Earlier this summer, we committed to Clevelanders that we were going to do the hard work to make our neighborhoods safer and give our young people more opportunities to succeed. Then we got to work," said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. "Across this administration, we invested in prevention, created jobs and opportunities for young people, strengthened neighborhoods, improved quality of life, and put our police resources where they could make the greatest impact. The results speak for themselves with fewer homicides, fewer robberies, and fewer stolen vehicles. This is what happens when City Hall commits, follows through, and measures itself by results.”

Led by the Department of Public Safety and supported by City departments, community organizations and law enforcement partners, the Summer Safety Plan brings a coordinated, data-driven approach to public safety, combining strategic enforcement, violence prevention investments, youth engagement opportunities, and neighborhood revitalization efforts to address the conditions that contribute to crime and impact residents’ quality of life.

The Summer Safety Plan brings together coordinated efforts across City departments and community partners, including:

• The Office of Prevention, Intervention, and Opportunity expanded access to employment, mentorship, violence intervention, workforce readiness and stabilization resources for Cleveland youth and young adults throughout the summer. Through its programs and partnerships, 1,526 youth secured employment, earning more than $2.7 million in wages across 200,983 hours of work at 347 worksites and 165 employers, while nearly 2,400 participants engaged through the Young Opportunities Unlimited partnership.

  The office also invested $1 million through Cleveland Thrive to support community-based violence intervention initiatives. Together, these efforts helped connect young people and families to meaningful summer opportunities, reaching 14,286 unique participants — a 24% increase from 2025 — and delivering 19,750 youth experiences, up 21% from last year. In total, the City provided 260,885 opportunities and engaged 16,137 families, expanding access to positive activities, employment and supportive resources across Cleveland neighborhoods.

• The Department of Community Relations brought City Hall into Cleveland neighborhoods through outreach, neighborhood walks, community events and violence interruption programming, engaging 1,200 residents at Mayor’s Night Out events, 831 at community meetings, and 860+ residents through 19 Safety Fairs.
   
• The Department of Aging kept senior Clevelanders connected, informed and safe through 16 Senior Walks reaching 4,299+ participants, more than 9,360 wellness calls, and support for 929 households through free grass-cutting services. The department also distributed 1,000+ File of Life forms in multiple languages, helping seniors access critical resources and stay connected to their communities.
   
• The Department of Parks and Recreation provided safe, engaging opportunities for Cleveland youth and families, serving 30,000+ meals, welcoming 58,662+ pool visits, and reaching 1,538 summer campers, including 421 overnight campers. Programs also engaged thousands through playgrounds, cultural arts, dance, sports and Back to School events, creating positive spaces for young people to learn, play and connect.
   
• The Department of Public Works strengthened neighborhood safety and quality of life through targeted infrastructure and cleanup efforts, including 144+ new speed tables, 403 miles of pavement markings, 3,988 illegal dumping sites addressed, and 21,566 parcels cleaned. Traffic-calming investments also delivered measurable results on Lorain Avenue, where speeding above 30 mph fell from 71% to 35% — a nearly 51% reduction — with no reported crashes since installation.
   
• The Department of Building and Housing strengthened neighborhood safety and quality of life through proactive code enforcement and targeted inspections, addressing neglected properties, illegal dumping, overgrown lots and unsafe structures. The department completed 648 inspections, responded to 353 neighborhood service requests, and issued 78 violation notices, helping address neighborhood concerns before they become larger public safety issues.
   
• Cleveland 311 connected residents directly to City services, receiving nearly 50,000 calls and 29,718 service requests to address neighborhood and quality-of-life concerns. Through summer neighborhood walks, the City identified 911 additional requests, opened 137 service requests, and closed 70%+ by September 1, ensuring resident concerns are heard and addressed.
   

• The Cleveland Division of Police delivered significant public safety results through enforcement initiatives, violence reduction strategies and strong coordination with community and law enforcement partners. Compared with Operation Heat Wave, which supported the launch of the Summer Safety Plan in 2024, homicides declined 22.8%, grand theft motor vehicle offenses declined 34.9%, and robberies declined 33.9%, while felonious assaults decreased 2.9%.

  Through Operation SPF 216, officers and partners also recovered 466 firearms and 90 stolen vehicles, issued 4,850 traffic violations, and seized more than $1.3 million in U.S. currency.

The City is grateful to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Homeland Security Investigations (HIS); US Marshalls; US Attorney’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP); Adult Parole Authority (APA); Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department; Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office for their continued partnership and commitment to keeping Cleveland residents safe.

Other partners of Mayor Bibb’s Summer Safety Plan include Youth Opportunities Unlimited, College Now, Cleveland Museum of Art, Advantage Cleveland, Starting Point, Cleveland Municipal School District, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland SCORES, Tri-C, Greater Cleveland Rapid Transit Authority, and many more!

Through the ongoing RISE Initiative, Mayor Bibb is committed to addressing safety concerns in the City of Cleveland. In case of an emergency or to report illegal or suspicious activity, law enforcement should be contacted by calling 9-1-1. If you have information that may assist investigators in apprehending wanted individuals, please call the Cleveland Division of Police non-emergency line at (216) 621-1234.

Residents are encouraged to contact the City’s 3-1-1 system to report non-emergency neighborhood concerns and quality-of-life issues and help build safer, stronger neighborhoods across the city.