(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today awarded funding to help a dozen local law enforcement agencies prevent and investigate incidents of violent crime in their communities.

Twelve local law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $1.3 million in grants as part of the 12th round of the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program. Governor DeWine, in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly, created the grant program in 2021 to give local law enforcement additional tools to address violence, including increases in crime associated with law enforcement retirements and resignations.

To date, Governor DeWine has awarded approximately $80 million to 170 Ohio law enforcement agencies as part of this program.

“This grant program has been a tremendous success," said Governor DeWine. "Every local law enforcement agency that applied for funding to support a qualifying violent crime reduction initiative has now received a grant award. Although we'll never know how many crimes will be prevented by these initiatives, we do know that our communities are safer thanks to the local law enforcement officers who are implementing these anti-violence strategies."

Agencies receiving grants to implement violent crime reduction strategies as part of this latest round of the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program include:

The Gallia County Sheriff’s Office will receive $90,950 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime.

The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office will receive $231,054.31 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime and to hire an additional deputy.

In addition, the following entities will also each receive grants to pay for retention and/or hiring bonuses to help maintain current law enforcement staffing levels, recruit new officers, and continue ongoing public safety services to prevent and investigate violent crime.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office: $87,069.36

Antwerp Police Department (Paulding County): $10,135.11

Enon Police Department (Clark County): $26,822.97

Fayette County Sheriff’s Office: $245,030.24

Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office: $396,170.08

Morgan County Sheriff’s Office: $68,473.60

Paulding Police Department (Paulding County): $20,077.57

Payne Police Department (Paulding County): $9,876.82

Woodsfield Police Department (Monroe County): $20,408.55

Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office: $168,517

The Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program is funded through both the state operating budget and with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that Governor DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly dedicated to first responders to counter various pressing issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including violent crime. 

Other assistance for first responders developed by the DeWine-Husted Administration includes the creation of the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, Ohio School Safety Center, Ohio Office of Law Enforcement Recruitment, Ohio Office of First Responder Wellness, Ohio Prisoner Extradition Reimbursement Program, Ohio Body-Worn Camera Program, Ohio Ballistics Testing Initiative, Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program, Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience Program, Ohio Court Backlog Reduction Program, Community Violence Prevention Grant Program, and the new eWarrant database.