Ohio Governor DeWine Awards $2 Million to Law Enforcement to Help Combat Violence

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today awarded more than $2 million in funding to help local law enforcement agencies combat violent crime and protect their communities.

Eight law enforcement agencies will receive grants as part of the second round of Governor DeWine’s new Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program. Funding will primarily be used to recruit, retain, and hire law enforcement officers.

“To protect the public, we need to keep our law enforcement agencies fully staffed,” said Governor DeWine. “These grants will help agencies recruit and retain officers to ensure that there are enough law enforcement officers patrolling the streets and preventing crime.”

Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grants – Round Two

• The Ada Police Department (Hardin County) will receive $53,283.80 for retention bonuses to aid in retaining current staffing levels and recruiting prospective employees.
• The Cuyahoga Falls Police Department (Summit County) will receive $40,000 to enhance ongoing recruitment efforts through a 20-week radio campaign targeting likely police candidates.
• The Defiance County Sheriff’s Office will receive $82,218.58 to hire a new full-time school resource officer to engage with students in the county’s school districts. In addition to working to prevent crime, this officer will also work to educate students about the dangers of drug use through the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program.
• The Dillonvale Police Department (Jefferson County) will receive $28,600 to hire a part-time officer to increase law enforcement presence and enhance public safety.
• The Fostoria Police Division (Seneca County) will receive $15,000 to fund police academy tuition for selected minority applicants as part of the division’s work to diversify its police force while also offering more police coverage and protection for the community.
• The London Police Department (Madison County) will receive $126,556 to offer retention bonuses to aid in retaining its experienced officers and recruiting prospective employees.
• The Medina County Sheriff’s Office will receive $1,469,209.41 to hire six deputies to improve public safety by increasing law enforcement presence and enhancing community policing initiatives that engage the public. The additional personnel will also allow for an increase in the number of outstanding warrants served.
• The Sheffield Village Police Department (Lorain County) will receive $257,244.84
  to hire two full-time patrol officers to increase law enforcement presence and enhance public safety.

Governor DeWine, in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly, created the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program last year to give local law enforcement additional tools to address violence, including increases in crime associated with the recent high number of law enforcement retirements and resignations.

In April, Governor DeWine awarded $3.7 million as part of the first round of the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program. In total, Governor DeWine will award approximately $58 million as part of the grant program in coming months.

The program is funded through both the state operating budget and with American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds that Governor DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly have dedicated to first responders to counter various pressing issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including violent crime. The grants announced today are all funded through ARPA.