Ravenna Council Meeting: Police Department Update, Cybersecurity Plan, Natural Gas Aggregation Tabled

RELATED: Ravenna Police Reports: Vaping, Felonious Assault, OVI RAVENNA , Ohio – The Ravenna City Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, opened with a heavy but hopeful report from the city’s relatively new police chief and ended with passage of a citywide cybersecurity plan after a closed‑door executive session. Council President Rob Kairis called the meeting to order, followed by a moment of silence, the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Council members Amy Michael, Cheryl Wood, Paul Moskun, Tyler Marovich and Tim Calfee were present; Christina West was excused and Matt Harper was later excused when it was announced he had been called away. Ravenna Police Chief Addresses Double Officer‑Involved Shootings And Department Healing Under “Invited City Officials,” Police Chief Jake Smallfield used his time to confront what he called “the elephant in the room” – two officer‑involved shootings in six months and the toll they have taken on the department and the community. Smallfield said the first shooting deeply affected “every member of our department and our entire community,” emphasizing that such incidents can “tear a department apart,” undermining morale, cohesion and trust both internally and externally. Officers, he noted, live with the daily knowledge that they may be called upon to use deadly force to protect others, and in the aftermath of a shooting some must wrestle with the question, “Can I do this again?” Six months later, on March 16 , the department faced a second officer‑involved shooting. Many agencies struggle with even one such incident, Smallfield said, but Ravenna’s officers endured two within a short span. Despite that, he told council the shared adversity had ultimately pulled the department closer together and highlighted the need for stable leadership and long‑term planning. Leadership Changes And Promotions Inside The Department Smallfield publicly thanked former Chief Wallace for his leadership during those difficult months, calling him “exactly the leader this department needed.” Wallace’s unexpected retirement left a leadership vacuum that took months to resolve. Because Smallfield served as acting chief for part of that period, the department temporarily had no captains , complicating the civil service process. He outlined the sequence of promotions that followed: A sergeant’s process resulted in the promotion of Sergeant Joshua . After Smallfield was appointed chief, the city completed a captain’s assessment , ultimately promoting Captain Dustin Svab . With those promotions in place, Smallfield said the department finally began “moving forward” again. Community Outreach: Trunk‑or‑Treat, Food Drive And Shop With A Cop Even amid internal challenges, Smallfield said the Ravenna Police Department has worked to strengthen ties with residents. He highlighted several initiatives: Trunk‑or‑treat at NEOMED: Between 15 and 18 members of the department participated in a Toy Story‑themed trunk‑or‑treat event, complete with costumes ranging from Buzz Lightyear to Little Bo Peep and a sheep. Smallfield noted that even a newly hired dispatcher joined in and recruited her boyfriend to play the sheep, a “difficult task” when you barely know the people you’re working with. Record‑setting food drive for Center of Hope: A food drive held at Walmart to benefit Center of Hope filled shelves “overflowing” with donations, according to Miss Joyce , who runs the pantry. She told the department it was the largest food donation they have ever received , and residents also gave about $2,000 in monetary donations . Renewed Shop With A Cop program: The department restarted its Shop With A Cop tradition, inviting all council members to attend a Dec. 13 “Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus” at the Elks , followed by a shopping event at Walmart for local children. Smallfield said department members and community supporters have rallied behind the effort, raising nearly $16,000 in a short period of time. He said these programs are not just feel‑good events; they are part of rebuilding trust and connection after a difficult year. Equipment, Training And Facilities: Drones, Evidence, Vehicles And Firearms Smallfield also detailed several concrete upgrades to the department’s equipment and facilities that he said are already improving safety and efficiency. Drone team and rapid response The chief thanked council for funding a new drone vehicle , currently the only one of its kind in Portage County . Other agencies, including the SWAT team, have already asked to use it. Ravenna now fields what Smallfield called “the elite drone team in the county,” with: Handheld drones designed to fly indoors and even perch on an officer’s leg or vest. One‑handed launch capability so officers can deploy drones while remaining prepared to respond to threats. He cited a school‑related shooting near a football game as an example, saying: Six officers ran toward the sound of gunfire, demonstrating the willingness to face danger even a