Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein said the temporary substation allows the Dayton Police Department to have a home in the heart of the city’s business district as work continues on a permanent station.
“This is a way for us to increase presence and continue to work on downtown safety issues,” said Dickstein.
The building is between the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority bus hub and retail shop T.N.T. Fashions and the Centre City building. The property will act as the center for all of the Dayton Police Department’s central business district operations. It’s been more than a decade since downtown has had a substation.
DPD’s business district employs 30 patrol officers, eight sergeants, one lieutenant and one major, and the station will include uniformed patrol, bike patrol and walking patrol. The substation will also include outreach for people experiencing homelessness and mental health needs, according to city documents.
Crime and other issues around the Greater Dayton RTA bus hub have been the source of some community complaints, and officials say they want a stronger police presence in the heart of the city.
A 2024 survey found that 30% of Dayton residents felt unsafe or very unsafe in downtown, compared to 38% who said they felt safe or very safe. But violent crime has been more frequently reported elsewhere in the city. A Dayton Daily News analysis of 2024 police data found violent gun crime happened more frequently in the city’s west and northwest areas, with only 3% of violent gun crimes with injuries happening downtown.
A work group led by U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, commended the city for the police substation. The group has recommended, among other items related to downtown security, the creation of a police force solely for the RTA.
Dayton city officials like former Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr., Dayton City Commissioner Chris Shaw and Commissioner Darius Beckham were included in the work group.
Some city residents in recent weeks have come to Dayton city commission meetings to advocate for safety efforts being funneled to the city’s neighborhoods, not just the downtown core.
But Dayton leaders have welcomed a collaborative approach while also calling on a reimagining of how the city approaches public safety.
“We wanted to make sure we addressed the concerns with regards to the business community, the concerns that were raised with Congressman Turner’s Downtown Safety Task Force,” Dickstein said.
Commissioner Beckham said he was happy to see progress on the downtown station, calling the added presence downtown “encouraging.”
Dayton last year acquired a property at East Fourth and St. Clair streets — once home to Vex nightclub and the Diner on St. Clair. The city plans to build the new, permanent station at this site. Dickstein said that site will not be online until early 2029.
About the Author
