July 28, 2020
To the Residents & Business Owners of Copley Township:
This past weekend a local organization that calls itself Copley-Fairlawn for All held a Black Lives Matter Rally in Copley Township. This group organized a march that traveled from the Copley Circle to the Copley-Fairlawn High School and then back to the circle, all along Cleveland-Massillon and Ridgewood Roads.
We knew that this event was going to create some traffic problems and inconvenience for our residents and travelers in the area. We also knew that several businesses on Cleveland-Massillon Road would be open for business and the event would adversely affect their ability to serve their customers.
The organizers of the event secured permission to hold the march after obtaining a permit from the Office of Ilene Shapiro, Summit County Executive. The group wanted to utilize the entire roadway on Cleveland-Massillon for the march. Copley Township officials insisted on keeping a portion of the roadway open for the use of our residents, businesses, and travelers.
The Copley Police Department designed a plan that would provide Copley Fairlawn for All the ability to hold the legally sanctioned event, yet would keep the inconvenience of traffic closures and delays to a minimum. In order to keep the roadway open to vehicular traffic and provide security for the marchers and onlookers, the police department had to call upon all of our officers, as well as several of our law enforcement partners in the area. All the officers worked together to keep traffic moving as best as was possible.
It takes a significant amount of personnel and resources to provide traffic control and ensure the safety of all involved for an event of this nature. The Copley Police Department enjoyed the assistance provided by the Bath and Fairlawn Police Departments, the State Highway Patrol, the Metro SWAT Team, and had the Summit County Sheriff’s Department on standby.
Just as important, an event of this nature cannot go smoothly without the assistance of the community. I would like to thank the greater Copley community
for your cooperation during this event. Your willingness to exercise patience while traveling through this area and to put up with some inconvenience is a testament to this community and our residents. The demonstrators were able to complete their march and get their message out, while still allowing vehicles to make their way safely through the area.
Thank you for your understanding, patience, and response to this event. It’s folks like you that make Copley Township one of the best and safest communities in northeast Ohio in which to live, attend school, and work!
THANK YOU AGAIN!
Sincerely,
Michael Mier, Chief of Police
Follow Up Letter from Chief Mier BLM March