Lakewood police department’s growing gender diversity highlights need for modern facilities

LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Lakewood’s police department now counts 13 female officers among its 99-member sworn force, up from just five a decade ago.

The increase has emerged as a major factor, as city leaders weigh an overhaul of municipal facilities to better support current staff and future hiring needs.

The department’s progress toward gender inclusion began nearly 40 years ago. Lakewood’s first female officer, Leslie Wilkins, joined the force in 1988 after serving as a dispatcher. She later became the city’s first female captain in 2018.

But the city’s aging infrastructure has not kept pace with demographic changes. City Hall, which opened in the mid-1950s, houses City Council, the administration, the police department and municipal court — all of which have struggled with cramped conditi