The City of Seven Hills Police Department

04/10/2026

Funeral services for Fire Chief Meklemburg will be held on Monday, April 13th at 10:00am at St. Columbkille Church. Following the mass, a procession will travel the below route:

• South on Broadview Road to Royalton Road
• East on Royalton Road to Brandywine Road
• South on Brandywine Road to All Saints Cemetery

Motorists should be advised that traffic in these areas will be affected and plans should be made for alternate routes.

04/08/2026

The City of Seven Hills mourns the loss of Fire Chief James A. “Jamie” Meklemburg, Jr., who passed away on April 5, 2026, at the age of 47.

Chief Meklemburg dedicated his life to the fire service and to the communities he proudly served. He began his career in the fire service with the Valley View Fire Department, where he worked part-time starting October 22, 2001, before transitioning to full-time service on June 6, 2006. He later served part-time with the Brooklyn Heights Fire Department beginning September 15, 2009, where he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on June 19, 2018.

Chief Meklemburg left the Valley View Fire Department to become the first-ever full-time Fire Chief of the Seven Hills Fire Department, where he was sworn in on February 11, 2020. During his tenure, he led the department with dedication, professionalism, and a strong commitment to public safety and service to the residents of Seven Hills.

Chief Meklemburg is survived by his wife, Kelly, and their two children, Sophia and James.

Visitation will be held at Busch Funeral Home, 7501 Ridge Road, Parma, on Sunday, April 12, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Columbkille Church on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., followed by interment at All Saints Cemetery.

The City of Seven Hills and the Seven Hills Fire Department ask that the community keep Chief Meklemburg’s family, friends, and colleagues in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

01/24/2026

Effective immediately there is a snow parking ban in effect for Seven Hills. The ban will remain in effect until Monday night at midnight.

01/22/2026

The Seven Hills Police Department is proud to participate in the Blue Envelope Program. This program is an initiative designed to assist individuals with developmental disabilities during traffic stops, emergencies and other law enforcement interactions. Anybody wishing to participate in this free and voluntary program can stop up to the police department anytime and pick up an envelope.

Anyone with questions can call us at 216-524-4423.

01/22/2026

Big thanks to our friend Davien who made this plaque in his wood working class at school. It’ll look great hanging in our police station!

01/05/2026

UPDATE: This male has been identified. Thanks for all assistance.

The Seven Hills Police Department is attempting to identify the pictured individual in connection with a theft incident. If anyone can assist with identification, please contact the Seven Hills Police Department at our anonymous tip line (216-525-6317) or email us at [email protected].

12/19/2025

Our thoughts are with the North Olmsted Police Department as they mourn the loss of one of their own.

This is a tough one. Yesterday evening we lost not only one of our guys, but a truly great human. I know, everyone is “a great guy” when they die but Tony Smerk was truly great. He was an Army combat vet, a youth pastor, and a great cop. More than titles, he was the daddy of two adorable 4 year old twin girls, a husband that made no secret about how much he was in love with his wife, a dedicated son and brother, and a devout man of God.

Tony passed away at the hospital after a sudden medical emergency at home at 38 years old. We were all there with him as he went and this loss can’t be measured in words.

Tony had only been with us a short time, getting hired while a youth pastor. His life experience brought him to a job that he was destined for and he was crushing it. In Tony’s first phase of training I remember telling the bosses that he carried himself on the road like someone with 10 years of experience. He worked every day with empathy and a strong vision of what’s right versus what he COULD do. Tony based decisions on circumstances and not black and white law. He had a way of talking to people that can’t be taught. He was exactly where he was supposed to be doing what he was put here to do. Like I said before, Tony’s loss can’t be measured and he was going to do great things for this community and this department. Because of his lived experiences, he was always there with advice for guys despite being a “new guy”. He earned respect quickly from us as well as citizens that he came in contact with.

As cruel as life is, it will go on. Someone will be hired to fill his spot. I’m glad it’s not me because that spot will come with impossibly huge shoes to fill. Tony can’t be replaced.

His faith was strong, as is his family’s, and my sincere prayer for them is that, while this loss is immeasurable, they will find peace.

Please take a minute to say a prayer or have a nice thought for Tony and his family. Not because he was a cop; because he was a stellar human living his life in service to others.

This is going to be a huge loss for his family, his department, and this community. If you never met him, I’m sorry. He made lives better wherever he went.

Rest easy, Tony. The world is a better place because you were in it and , while way too short, your life was not in vain.

Until we meet again.

Edit 12-19-25: Because folks are asking, we’ve set up a GoFundMe for the family. Thank you all for your support during this unimaginable loss. We appreciate all of you.

https://gofund.me/b3cace86f

12/06/2025

Today, the Seven Hills Police Department had the pleasure of teaming up with the Broadview Heights Police Department in hosting our annual Shop with a Cop program. In partnership with Meijer and Pathways Financial Credit Union, we were able help make the holiday season a bit more special for some wonderful kids in the community. Our officers look forward to this event each year and we have just as much fun as the kids do!

We would like to thank all of the volunteers from the community who came out to lend a hand setting up, shopping, wrapping gifts and helping to make everything come together.

A very special thanks to Meijer for generously donating the gift cards that were used by the children to shop for gifts. Their staff was helpful and welcoming as always!

Additionally, we are grateful to our friends at Pathways Financial Credit Union for their generous donation to the Shop with a Cop program which will help support the program for years to come.

11/25/2025

10/31/2025

At 7:34pm this evening, the Seven Hills Police Department responded to a domestic violence call in the area of Broadview Road and East Sprague Road. While investigating, the suspect barricaded himself inside the apartment. With assistance from the regional SWAT team, the suspect surrendered without incident. The victim and all officers involved are safe. This appears to be an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public.

09/11/2025