Bexley Police Department

Every year more than 1.85 million thefts from vehicles take place nationwide costing $1.2 billion in stolen personal items and accessories. Whether you are parked in a lot all day for work, heading into the store for a few minutes or in the comfort of your own neighborhood, don’t make it easy for thieves to break in. It takes seconds for a thief to break into your vehicle, grab valuables in sight and get away. Always be sure to hide your valuables or take them with you and lock your vehicle. Bexley is a safe city, and you can help make it even safer and prevent crimes of opportunity– Hide your valuables, lock your vehicle, take it with you. Be smart. Stay safe.

Help prevent theft from your car by taking these steps
• If you have more than one stop in a shopping trip, hide your newly purchased items before you leave the first store. On quick shopping trips, only take with you what is needed for that errand.
• Park in well-lit, high-traffic areas and when possible.
Stash the evidence of valuables, too, including chargers, auxiliary cords and suction-cup mounts for navigation systems.
• Completely close all windows and sunroofs. You don’t want to make it easy for thieves to reach in your vehicle. Plus, open windows can disable the pressure sensors in some car alarms.

How Businesses Can Help
Businesses can help lower the risk of theft from vehicles in their parking lot in several ways. Offer a coat check to customers, including safe storage for valuables like laptops. Assign staff to walk through the parking lot periodically to look for people who are loitering in the area or looking in car windows. If you have a video surveillance system, ensure that it is in good working order and recording quality images. Remind customers to hide their valuables either verbally or by handing out cards.

Neighborhood Watch Program
Designed by the Bexley Police Department, this program allows you and your neighbors to help prevent and reduce crime in your neighborhood. A Neighborhood Watch group is an association of neighbors who look out for each other’s families and property, alert the police to any suspicious activities and work together to make their community a safer place to live.

Residents interested in forming a Neighborhood Watch group on their street can get started by contacting the Police Department at (614) 559-4444, or by emailing Lieutenant Dawn Overly at doverly@bexley.org.

Here are a few extra steps you can take to start organizing your Neighborhood Watch group:
• Host a neighborhood meeting to gauge neighbors’ interest and begin to identify neighborhood issues that need to be addressed.
• Invite a Bexley Police Officer to attend this meeting to discuss details of the program and answer any questions.
• Select block captain volunteers who will be responsible for relaying information to members on their block, keeping up-to-date information and making efforts to involve everyone.
• Elect a chairperson to serve as liaison with the Police Department and relay information about meetings and crime incidents to block captains.
• Establish a regular means of communicating with Watch members.

Offense Reports
Offense reports, organized by month, can be found by visiting our Public Documents page, under the Police Department folder.

Accident Reports
Accident Reports for the 43209 zip code are available on the Ohio Department of Public Safety website.

Core Beliefs
Our core beliefs are forged in "F.I.R.E.":
• FAIRNESS: The fair and impartial treatment of others. Adapting to each new circumstance with professionalism and common sense.
• INTEGRITY: The honest and ethical performance of our duties. The acceptance of full accountability for our actions. Doing the right thing, the right way, at the right time.
• RESPECT: Respect for the law and respect for the human dignity of all people.
• EMPATHY: The importance of seeing things from the other person’s point of view. The ability to be sensitive to the feelings of the people we serve.

Mission Statement
We, the men and women of the Bexley Police Department, are dedicated to the following as our mission:

• Enhancing the quality of life by working with agencies and individuals to provide a safe, friendly, secure community.
• Treating all persons we encounter with dignity and respect.
• Maintaining high professional and ethical standards in the performance of our duties.
• Reducing fear of crime by maintaining order and peace in the community.
• Enforcing the laws of the United States, State of Ohio and City of Bexley in a fair, impartial manner without violating the constitutional rights of any citizen.

Vision Statement
The Bexley Police Department will continue to be an organization that operates in a cohesive, team-oriented fashion to provide service to the community.

Officers and employees will be well educated and well trained. We will be an accredited agency that operates in a facility designed specifically to support a law enforcement operation.

The department and the community will maintain a positive relationship that is based on openness and trust. Department operations will be enhanced by the expanded use of available technology.

Our bottom line will continue to be the quality of service that we provide. Our measure of success will continue to be the satisfaction of our customers.

If you are leaving your property for an extended period of time, you can let the Bexley Police Department know by filling out our Vacation House Check Form.

The Bexley parade/run/walk application allows an organization to apply for a parade, run, or walk event in the City of Bexley. City of Bexley policy allows for a total of 12 events per year. Priority will be given to recurring events that have occurred in the prior year. If there are more applications than available permits, applicants will be entered into a lottery system.

Any event that results in the closure of Parkview Ave. in front of Jeffrey Mansion requires applicant to book the facility through the Bexley Recreation and Parks Department for the duration of the event. Applicant must provide the permit number and get a signature from a Recreation and Parks administrative staff representative.

To file a 5k permit, please submit a Bexley Parade Run/Walk Application (link).

Overview
Bexley has a number of parking regulations designed to ensure adequate parking availability and access to property throughout the City. Until 2011, the City had a full time parking enforcement officer. Budgetary pressures forced the elimination of this position, but in mid 2013 the City reinstated a part-time parking control officer (PCO). The PCO responds to resident complaints, and patrols the City ensuring time restrictions are followed as well as observing high-pressure areas where chronic parking violations occur.

Most Common Parking Violations
Parking in a "No Parking" zone: ~35% of parking citations are written for vehicles that are parked in areas signed as "No Parking".
Parking in a residential permit area without a permit: ~23% of parking citations are written for vehicles that are parked in residential permit parking areas without a permit.
Parking within 5' of a driveway: ~13% of parking citations are written for vehicles that are parked within 5' of a driveway. This is also our most common complaint from residents who, as a result, have difficulty turning in or out of their driveway, or even accessing their driveway. While 5' might seem like more than adequate clearance, less than 5' is generally uncomfortably close for experienced parkers.
Parking within 20' of a crosswalk: ~13% of parking citations are written for vehicles that are parked within 20' of a crosswalk. 20' is a standard regulation throughout Ohio.

In addition to the "Most Common Violations" above, the City of Bexley enforces the following parking regulations, as well as any other regulations that are detailed in the "Traffic" section of the City Code:

Parking Over 24 Hours
Parking on a public street for over 24 hours without moving a vehicle is prohibited by Bexley City Code.

Parking Within 10' of a Fire Hydrant
Parking closer than 10' to a fire hydrant is prohibited by Bexley City Code.

Parking Within 1' of a Parked Vehicle
Parking closer than 1' to a parked vehicle is prohibited by Bexley City Code.

Parking More Than 12" From The Curb
Parking more than 12" from the curb is prohibited by Bexley City Code, in order to ensure adequate travel area in the drive lane.

Parking Facing the Wrong Direction
Parking facing the "wrong direction" - i.e. parking in such a way that requires crossing the travel lane to the other side of the road and parking facing oncoming traffic - is prohibited by Bexley City Code.

Parking Illegally in a Handicap Parking Area
Handicap parking areas exist in commercial parking lots as well as in select residential areas. Parking in a handicap parking area without a valid permit is prohibited by Bexley City Code.

Permanent residential parking permit stickers are available at the Bexley Police Station, 559 N. Cassingham Road. Permits are required for residents who live on streets marked with permit parking signs.

Up to three permits per residence can be obtained at no cost by presenting proof of residency and vehicle information. If you have questions, please call (614) 559-4444.

The Mayor's Office handles temporary special parking permits for out of town guests or small trailers that need to be temporarily parked in a parking restricted area. If you believe you need a temporary parking permit, please email Natalie Vawter with the mayor's office or call 614-559-4210. 

Bexley requires commercial solicitors (solicitors engaged in selling goods or services) to register with the City and submit to a background check. Registered solicitors will carry a valid Bexley solicitor's permit prominently displayed. This permit application can be found here.

Note that non-profit and political groups, as well as any other groups protected by freedom of speech laws, are not required to register for a solicitor's permit. If you observe an individual or group violating Bexley's solicitor laws, please contact the Bexley Police Department non-emergency number at (614) 559-4444.

A prominently placed "no trespassing" sign will prohibit any uninvited guests from entering your property and are enforceable per Bexley's criminal trespassing ordinance. Notices against all solicitation are effective in prohibiting solicitors, but may not be effective in prohibiting literature drops. Note that a blanket prohibition against soliciting also prohibits community groups (i.e. Bexley Boosters, Girl Scouts, etc) from soliciting.

Law enforcement in Bexley dates back to 1908 when Bexley officially became a village. At that time the laws of the village were enforced by one Village Marshall. In 1931 Bexley became a city and the police department had grown to six officers. Today the department has thirty sworn officers consisting of one Chief of Police, one Captain, four Patrol Sergeants, one Detective Sergeant, one Administrative Sergeant, nineteen Patrol Officers, two Detectives and one Juvenile Officer. All totaled there are over 400 years of law enforcement experience among all the officers. The department also employs seven Radio Dispatchers (four full-time and three part-time), an Animal Control Officer, a Parking Control Officer, a part-time Communications Technician, a part-time Property/Evidence Technician, and an Executive Assistant.

In the early days police officers patrolled Bexley on horseback, by bicycle, motorcycle and automobile. At present the department has eight marked patrol vehicles, four marked patrol bicycles, one animal control van, one parking control vehicle and five unmarked vehicles. All marked patrol vehicles are equipped to handle a variety of emergency situations.

Over the years the department operated out of various buildings including a white wood frame building located at 2242 E. Main St. In April 1952 the new Bexley City Hall was completed on that site and the department moved into the rear portion of the building. The department occupied two rooms on the first floor with two cells in the basement. In the late 1960’s the department moved into the City Hall Annex and occupied six rooms and one holding cell. The offices of the Chief and Lieutenant remained in City Hall and the basement cells saw continued use. In 1983 the City Hall Annex was remodeled and the department’s facilities included a Reception Lobby, Communications Room, Records and Supply Room, Sergeant’s Office, Officers Work Area, separate male and female locker rooms, a lunch room, the Captain’s Office, Conference Room, Data Entry Room, Detective Bureau, Prisoner Processing and Detention Area, Firing Range and separate offices for the Chief of Police and his Administrative Assistant.

On February 25, 1997, John R. Carruthers, Ph.D. was sworn in as the eighth Chief of Police, following the retirement of Thomas W. Tobin in 1996. Chief Carruthers spent the previous twenty-four years with the Columbus Police Department where he rose to the rank of Commander. Thomas Tobin had served as a Bexley officer for over 44 years, the last 20 of which he had been Chief of Police.

On March 2, 1998 the Bexley Civil Service Commission abolished the rank of Lieutenant and replaced it with the rank of Captain. On May 27, 1998, Sergeant Robert L. Buty was promoted to the rank of Captain. In December of 2011, Bryan Holbrook was promoted ro rank of Captain. He retired in March of 2016. In April of 2016, Kenneth Gough was promoted to rank of Captain.

On March 22, 2003 the Bexley Police Department was awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). This was in response to a thorough on-site assessment of the department’s policies, procedures and practices. The department received recognition again in March of 2006 following another on-site assessment by CALEA.

On April 30, 2007, Lawrence L. Rinehart became the ninth Chief of the Bexley Police Department. Chief Rinehart had served previously with the Gahanna Police Department for thirteen years, rising to the rank of Deputy Chief of Police.

On November 17, 2008, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Bexley Police Headquarters at 559 North Cassingham Road. This new facility will serve to improve the quality of life for our employees and citizens, and provide a base of operations for professional law enforcement services for the City of Bexley for years to come. The building will feature expanded capabilities for emergency operations, training, and fitness. On December 31, 2009 Bexley police personnel officially moved into the new Bexley Police Facility at 559 North Cassingham Road.

On December 14, 2021, Chief Rinehart announced his retirement, and a national search to find his replacement was launched in January 2022. The search resulted in 21 applicants, eight semi-final candidates, and four finalists.  

On September 1, 2022, Gary D. Lewis, Jr. was sworn in as Bexley's 10th Chief of Police. Lewis holds a Master’s degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University, a Bachelor’s degree in public safety management from Franklin University, an Associate’s degree in visual communications from Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and is a 2003 FBI National Academy graduate. To learn more about the search process, visit bexley.org/chiefsearch.

The Bexley Citizens Police Academy (click here) is a free community building program intended to build lasting relationships between participants and the Bexley Police Department. For more information or to register, please contact Clayton Adams at cadams@bexley.org or (614) 559-4444. 

To request police presence at your event, please complete the Special Duty Request Form and submit to Officer Clayton Adams via email (communityrelations@bexley.org) three weeks prior to your event.