CLEVELAND — City of Cleveland officials said that it plans to maintain full staffing in communities during NBA All-Star Game Weekend even with some officers being utilized for event detail. 

What You Need To Know

  • The City of Cleveland said it will maintain full police staffing throughout the city during NBA All-Star Game Weekend

  • Additional staff will be used to patrol events tied to the All-Star Game

  • The city offered tips for citizens, recommending citizens use public transit during the weekend

The city said that some officers will be assigned to events downtown as thousands converge on downtown for the game. 

“Numerous officers will be detailed to the area during the event for added security,” the city said Thursday. “In addition, the Division of Police will maintain full staffing within all Cleveland neighborhoods outside of downtown. Security and transportation plans have been developed through a partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies. Every effort has been made to minimize the impact of these safety measures on the public.”

In addition to large events at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and Wolstein Center, organizers said 400-500 smaller events will be held throughout the city in conjunction with the game. 

The city offered the following tips:

Arrive early. In order to ensure that you arrive at your destination without missing any of the action, plan your commute beforehand and allow yourself extra travel time.  Remember that parking lots and garages may become full with the influx of event attendees and people coming downtown to enjoy dining and entertainment establishments, so be sure to explore options in terms of parking. Please see here for parking restrictions.

Ride RTA. The Greater Regional Transit Authority will be running the All-Star Line Trolley along special routes during All-Star Weekend. View the trolley schedule and more travel information here.

Put your junk in your trunk. Valuable items should not be left in the interior of ​your vehicle where others can see them. Placing valuables in your trunk and out of sight limit thefts from vehicles.

Be aware of increased pedestrian traffic in the downtown area.

If you see something suspicious, say something. Report suspicious or illegal activity to law enforcement. Call 9-1-1 for emergencies or 216-621-1234 for non-emergencies. Anonymous information can be provided by calling Crimestoppers at 216-25-CRIME.

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