COLUMBUS – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that 24 local law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $11.7 million to help prevent and investigate incidents of violent crime including domestic violence, gun violence, and human trafficking.

The grants represent the 10th round of the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program. To date, Governor DeWine has awarded nearly $70 million to 146 Ohio law enforcement agencies as part of this program. Approximately $100 million will be awarded to local law enforcement agencies as part of the grant program in total.

“Local law enforcement agencies spend considerable time and resources to combat violent crime and make their communities safer,” said Governor DeWine. “By funding advanced technological tools and increased staffing through this grant program, we are supporting their mission and helping the cause.”

The Franklin County Sheriff will receive $2,096,327.35 to hire personnel for the new Central Ohio Violence Eradication Response Team (COVERT) to focus on violent crime reduction through hot spot policing, focused deterrence, place network investigations, and collaboration. Funds will also be used to purchase new technology for the COVERT team to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime.

The Galion Police Department (Crawford County) will receive $134,814 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime.

The Greene County ACE Task Force will receive $201,227.69 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime and to fund overtime hours for proactive investigative activities related to violent offenders, gangs, drugs, and firearm crimes.

The Hamilton County Heroin Task Force will receive $263,106.43 to pay for an investigator dedicated to the task force and focused on reducing violent crime, confiscating illegally possessed guns, investigating overdose deaths, and engaging in drug trafficking enforcement.

The Hamilton Police Department (Butler County) will receive $259,615.60 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime, to increase patrols and investigations in hot-spot areas, to begin two youth police academies, and to offer hiring bonuses for 11 new officers.

The Lake County Narcotics Agency will receive $45,744 to support a new initiative to reduce violent crime by using data and intelligence to identify a small number of highly active violent offenders and target them for investigation and arrest.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office will receive $269,366.50 to purchase new technology for the Madison County Major Crimes Task Force to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime and to pay overtime costs for surveillance and patrols.

The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office will receive $1,385,705.77 to assign a full-time investigator to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, purchase equipment to assist in human trafficking investigations, and offer retention bonuses.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office will receive $502,605.16 to hire a crime analyst, provide domestic violence training to all sworn officers and prosecutors, and purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime.

The Medina County Drug Task Force will receive $160,092.65 to hire one drug enforcement and interdiction agent.

The Medina County Sheriff’s Office will receive $53,500 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime with a focus on reducing aggravated assaults and domestic violence cases.

The Medina Police Department (Medina County) will receive $60,000 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime.

The Miami Township Police Department (Clermont County) will receive $549,522.20 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime and to pay for retention bonuses.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office (Franklin County) will receive $480,028.80 to support the investigation of human trafficking incidents in Ohio and to provide human trafficking task forces in Central Ohio, Montgomery County, and Cuyahoga County with new technology to support their operations.

The South Central Ohio Major Crimes Unit (Fairfield County) will receive $252,313 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime, hire a part-time intelligence analyst/evidence technician, and enhance community engagement efforts.

The Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force (Cuyahoga County) will receive $253,721.78 to pay for retention bonuses and overtime hours for officers and to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime.

The Summit County Drug Unit will receive $111,090.45 to pay for overtime hours for detectives and to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office will receive $98,546.81 to support the overtime operations of the Summit County Human Trafficking Task Force and to purchase new technology for use in human trafficking investigations.

The Westlake Police Department (Cuyahoga County) will receive $1,829,525.61 to purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime, offer retention bonuses, and hire officers.

The Youngstown Police Department (Mahoning County) will receive $1,862,761.84 to expand recruitment efforts, purchase new technology to assist in preventing and investigating incidents of violent crime, and hire new patrol officers.

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.

Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office: $19,180

Logan County Sheriff’s Office: $120,872.04

Oxford Division of Police (Butler County): $218,376.33

Scioto County Sheriff’s Office: $503,890.24