Columbus City Council to consider $4 million contract increase for Easton police substation
Emergency legislation would authorize Safety General Obligations Bond Fund spending to expand the construction agreement with Elford, Inc.
Columbus City Council is scheduled during its Monday, Oct. 26 meeting to vote on emergency legislation authorizing an additional $4 million for the new Easton Police Substation project. The legislation authorizes the expenditure from the Safety General Obligations Bond Fund to expand the Construction Manager at Risk agreement with Elford, Inc.
Columbus officials and police leadership break ground on the new $14 million Easton Police Substation on Oct. 19, 2026.
Credit: WSYX / ABC 6 Image source
Council previously approved an initial $10 million contract with Elford for the substation during its June 1 meeting. Columbus city leaders broke ground on the $14 million project near Easton Town Center on Oct. 19.
The project will replace the city's 52-year-old Police Substation 6 with a new facility at Easton Way and Sunbury Road, with opening scheduled for early 2028. Built on four acres of land provided by Easton, the facility will house about 70 officers, including patrol officers, community liaisons and detectives.
According to city documents, capital improvement funds and municipal bonds will provide primary financing for the project. Councilman Emmanuel Remy, chair of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, said the investment is intended to keep pace with the city's growth, stating, "I believe one of our most important responsibilities is making sure our public-safety infrastructure grows and evolves alongside our city."
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said the department has monitored crime trends around Easton and partnered with the shopping center's private security team to help reduce crime in the area.
However, the relocation has raised questions among some area residents regarding police response times in surrounding neighborhoods. Matt Monell, who lives in the Upper Albany West neighborhood, said he was surprised by plans to relocate the substation, saying, "I like to have somebody closer." Other homeowners told ABC 6 they are concerned crime could increase in their neighborhoods once officers move to the new location.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Columbus City Council · 2026-10-26
Supporting evidence (3)
Columbus City Council is scheduled during its Monday, Oct. 26 meeting to vote on emergency legislation authorizing an additional $4 million for the new Easton Police Substation project.
Read supporting passage
REGULAR MEETING NO. 47 OF COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL, MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2026 at 5:00 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
Columbus City Council is scheduled during its Monday, Oct. 26 meeting to vote on emergency legislation authorizing an additional $4 million for the new Easton Police Substation project.
Read supporting passage
To authorize the Director of Finance and Management, on behalf of the Office of Construction Management, to modify and increase the Professional Construction Manager at Risk (CMaR) Services agreement with Elford, Inc.; for the Department of Public Safety’s Easton Police Substation project; to authorize an expenditure up to $4,000,000.00 within the Safety General Obligations Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($4,000,000.00)
The legislation authorizes the expenditure from the Safety General Obligations Bond Fund to expand the Construction Manager at Risk agreement with Elford, Inc.
Read supporting passage
To authorize the Director of Finance and Management, on behalf of the Office of Construction Management, to modify and increase the Professional Construction Manager at Risk (CMaR) Services agreement with Elford, Inc.; for the Department of Public Safety’s Easton Police Substation project; to authorize an expenditure up to $4,000,000.00 within the Safety General Obligations Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($4,000,000.00)
Supporting evidence (3)
Council previously approved an initial $10 million contract with Elford for the substation during its June 1 meeting.
Read supporting passage
project; to authorize an expenditure up to $10,000,000.00 within the
Council previously approved an initial $10 million contract with Elford for the substation during its June 1 meeting.
Read supporting passage
contract with Elford, Inc. to provide Construction Manager at Risk (CMaR)
Council previously approved an initial $10 million contract with Elford for the substation during its June 1 meeting.
Read supporting passage
Monday, June 1, 2026
Supporting evidence (12)
Columbus city leaders broke ground on the $14 million project near Easton Town Center on Oct. 19.
Read supporting passage
Columbus city leaders have broken ground on a new police substation near Easton Town Center, with the goal of strengthening public safety as northeast Columbus continues to grow.
Columbus city leaders broke ground on the $14 million project near Easton Town Center on Oct. 19.
Read supporting passage
The $14 million project will replace the city's 52-year-old Police Substation 6 with a new facility at the corner of Easton Way and Sunbury Road.
Columbus city leaders broke ground on the $14 million project near Easton Town Center on Oct. 19.
Read supporting passage
Columbus breaks ground on new Easton police substation by Erin SimonekMon, October 19, 2026
The project will replace the city's 52-year-old Police Substation 6 with a new facility at Easton Way and Sunbury Road, with opening scheduled for early 2028.
Read supporting passage
The $14 million project will replace the city's 52-year-old Police Substation 6 with a new facility at the corner of Easton Way and Sunbury Road. The substation is expected to open in early 2028 and will bring about 70 officers to the area, including patrol officers, community liaisons and detectives.
Built on four acres of land provided by Easton, the facility will house about 70 officers, including patrol officers, community liaisons and detectives.
Read supporting passage
Easton is providing four acres of land for the project.
Built on four acres of land provided by Easton, the facility will house about 70 officers, including patrol officers, community liaisons and detectives.
Read supporting passage
The substation is expected to open in early 2028 and will bring about 70 officers to the area, including patrol officers, community liaisons and detectives.
According to city documents, capital improvement funds and municipal bonds will provide primary financing for the project.
Read supporting passage
The project will be funded primarily through the city's capital improvement budget and municipal general obligation bonds.
Councilman Emmanuel Remy, chair of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, said the investment is intended to keep pace with the city's growth, stating, "I believe one of our most important responsibilities is making sure our public-safety infrastructure grows and evolves alongside our city."
Read supporting passage
Councilman Emmanuel Remy, chair of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, said the investment is intended to keep pace with the city's growth.“I believe one of our most important responsibilities is making sure our public-safety infrastructure grows and evolves alongside our city,” Remy said.
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said the department has monitored crime trends around Easton and partnered with the shopping center's private security team to help reduce crime in the area.
Read supporting passage
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said the department has been monitoring crime trends around Easton and working with the shopping center's private security team. She said those efforts have helped reduce crime in the area.“We've been paying attention. We've followed the data. We've done a lot of work in this particular area along with the partnership. Easton has their own private security. So we've done a really good job in partnering and we have seen a decrease in those numbers,” Bryant said.
However, the relocation has raised questions among some area residents regarding police response times in surrounding neighborhoods.
Read supporting passage
For some nearby residents, the move raises questions about police response times and the potential impact on surrounding neighborhoods.
Matt Monell, who lives in the Upper Albany West neighborhood, said he was surprised by plans to relocate the substation, saying, "I like to have somebody closer."
Read supporting passage
Matt Monell, who lives in the Upper Albany West neighborhood, said he was surprised to learn about the plans to relocate the existing substation.“Completely surprised I hadn't heard that. I'm kind of used to them being there,” Monell said. “I like to have somebody closer. Easton seems far away for response calls."
Other homeowners told ABC 6 they are concerned crime could increase in their neighborhoods once officers move to the new location.