Governor DeWine Awards Law Enforcement Recruitment Grants

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that a dozen local law enforcement agencies will strengthen their recruitment efforts with support from the Ohio Office of Law Enforcement Recruitment.

Law enforcement agencies in Clark, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Logan, Lucas, Mahoning, Medina, Montgomery, Shelby, and Summit counties will receive grants as part of the first round of funding offered as part of the new Ohio Law Enforcement Recruitment Grant Program.

“Law enforcement is a distinguished and honorable profession, but agencies all over the country are facing serious shortages in new recruits, which is dangerous for the current workforce and for the citizens they serve and protect,” said Governor DeWine. “The agencies receiving grants today have all developed plans that will help them recruit more qualified job candidates, particularly women and minorities who oftentimes face barriers to employment in criminal justice careers.”

Governor DeWine prioritized the creation of the Ohio Law Enforcement Recruitment Grant Program in the state’s 2022-2023 operating budget, which was passed by the Ohio General Assembly last year. Administered by the Ohio Office of Law Enforcement Recruitment, the grant program totals $1 million over the biennium, with the remaining funds to be offered in fiscal year 2023. Additional law enforcement recruitment funding will also be offered as part of the $250 million that Governor DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly dedicated to law enforcement in December.

The first round of funding totals $424,871, with 13 recruitment grants going to 12 local agencies.

• The Akron Police Department will receive two grants totaling $58,733.80. The department will use funds to evaluate their law enforcement civil service test and hiring processes to identify and eliminate potential cultural barriers to success. The Akron Police Department will also develop a test prep program specifically designed to serve members of the Bhutanese population who aspire to become law enforcement officers.
• The Bellefontaine Police Department will receive a grant totaling $18,960.31 for new law enforcement recruitment efforts including five paid internship opportunities aimed at attracting minority and female applicants.
• The Boardman Police Department will receive a grant of $25,000 to host various recruitment fairs to attract more female and minority job candidates. The events will be held in collaboration with community partners.
• The Cincinnati Police Department will receive a grant of $67,500 to explore best practices and develop a strategic recruitment plan for female and minority law enforcement candidates. The department also will pilot a paid internship program focused on mentoring female and minority job candidates.
• The Clark County Sheriff’s Office will receive a grant totaling $58,248.80 to partner with local schools to introduce a new, diverse generation of recruits to the field of law enforcement. The agency will also launch a marketing plan aimed at engaging female and minority candidates.
• The Medina County Sheriff’s Office will receive a grant totaling $18,270 to enhance its recruitment base through the creation of new communications materials to better appeal to a new generation of recruits with an emphasis on female and minority recruits.
• The Sidney Police Department will receive a grant of $36,945 to develop, implement, and maintain a new physical fitness standard for applicants to improve the recruitment and retention of female officers.
• The Summit County Sheriff’s Office will receive a grant of $61,069 to offer 20 full training academy scholarships to increase interest in the law enforcement career among women and minority communities. The office will also create targeted marketing materials and conduct community outreach activities to attract more female and minority candidates.
• The Toledo Police Department will receive a grant of $29,000 to develop targeted, new recruitment materials aimed at persuading more female and minority candidates to consider a career in law enforcement. The department will also host reverse job fairs and will work to remove technological barriers some candidates may face in accessing online pre-employment testing.
• The Upper Arlington Police Division will receive a grant of $10,600 to help implement an employee retention program that works to prevent officer burnout by addressing the impact of negative, traumatic events that officers endure on a daily basis.
• The West Carrollton Police Department will receive a grant of $8,093.90 to partner with the Miami Township Police Department to start a new youth explorer program to spur interest in law enforcement careers at a young age.
• The Xenia Police Division will receive a grant of $32,450.28 to streamline the process for diverse candidates to begin a career in law enforcement through the creation of a police cadet program.

The Ohio Office of Law Enforcement Recruitment, which was launched by Governor DeWine in 2020, operates out of the Office of Criminal Justice Services within the Ohio Department of Public Safety.