CLARK COUNTY, Ohio (WDTN) — Governor Mike DeWine announced today that he is awarding the Clark County Sherriff’s Office with a $639,691 grant.
Sixteen local and state law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $5.7 million in grant funding to help prevent and solve instances of violent crime.
The purpose of these grants is to pay for retention bonuses to help maintain current law enforcement staffing levels, recruit new officers, and continue ongoing public safety services to prevent and investigate violent crime, according to a July 5 release.
Governor DeWine is awarding the funds as part of the sixth round of the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program. As part of this program, DeWine has awarded $28.7 million to 99 Ohio law enforcement agencies to date. A total of $58 million will be awarded as part of the grant program overall.
“Law enforcement agencies have created innovative and strategic initiatives to prevent and disrupt crime across the state,” Governor DeWine said. “Each agency’s needs may be slightly different, but they share a common goal of creating safer communities, and my office is proud to support them.”
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office will receive $110,640.70 to purchase advanced technology that will allow the agency to access and extract digital evidence from cellular devices and other electronic equipment. The technology will aid the sheriff’s office in the timely analysis of digital evidence to help them quickly solve cases and protect the community from potential repeat offenders.
In addition, the following entities will also each receive grants:
Bellefontaine Police Department (Logan County): $78,780.20
Cincinnati Police Department (Hamilton County): $393,597.41
East Liverpool Police Department (Columbiana County): $323,413.40
Grandview Heights Police Department (Franklin County): $238,155.40
Madison Township Police Department (Franklin County): $364,995.63
Maple Heights Police Department (Cuyahoga County): $216,237
Owensville Police Department (Clermont County): $88,812.72
Perkins Township Police Department (Erie County): $268,857.79
Perry Township Police Department (Franklin County): $109,396.50
Salem Police Department (Columbiana County): $159,704
Summit County Prosecutor’s Office: $764,982.74
Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office: $495,151.79
Wadsworth Police Department (Medina County): $237,956
The 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 have dedicated to first responders to counter various pressing issues emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic, including violent crime.
The grants announced today are all funded through ARPA.
