April 2, 2021
To the Citizens of Copley Township:
Copley Township has several hotels in the Montrose area. Those hotels have been a challenge at times, but our officers work very diligently to identify activity taking place in these hotels and then take action to address the situation.
The Copley Police Department is a member agency of the Ohio Organized Crime Investigative Commission ONSET Task Force. This task force is working throughout Summit and Medina Counties to address drug and sex trafficking in all of the area hotels.
Communities throughout Summit County have seen an increase in activity in their hotels, particularly when the COVID Pandemic began. Long before the Pandemic, Copley Township took steps to address one of the hotels with a significant amount of illegal activity taking place, the Motel 6 off of Route 18 near Springside Drive. That motel is now closed and other businesses are exploring the purchase of the property for use other than a hotel.
Copley Township more recently took legal action against the Fairbridge Inn & Suites, 120 Montrose West Avenue. The township initiated an effort to have that property declared a nuisance with the ultimate goal of either bringing the property and business into compliance or closing the business altogether. As a result, the Fairbridge Inn & Suites closed his doors on March 31, 2021 and ownership has transferred to a new company.
The company that acquired the Fairbridge is moving ahead on turning the property into apartments in which strict background checks will be made of prospective tenants and residents will be required to sign long term leases. The transfer of ownership has already benefited the community as many of the persons that rented rooms at this problem hotel have left the area.
Copley Police officers are investigating a shooting that took place at the Fairbridge on Saturday, March 27th. That incident took place between two groups of persons staying in the hotel. The general public was never in danger and our detectives are making progress in the investigation. The recent closure of the hotel will significantly reduce the opportunity of this type of altercation.
Copley Police and Township officials are working very hard on your behalf. Copley Township remains one of the safest communities in northeast Ohio in which to live, go to school, and do business.
Should you have any questions about incidents taking place in and around the hotels, your police department, or safety in your neighborhood, please feel free to call me at 330-666-4260 or email: MMIER@copley.oh.us.
Michael Mier, Chief of Police