Rep. Glassburn Announces $76.5K for North Olmsted Crime Prevention Initiatives

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Chris Glassburn (D-North Olmsted) today announced that the North Olmsted Police Department will receive $76.5K in state funding to support community policing and violent crime reduction strategies. This funding will be used to assign a crime prevention officer to the Great Northern Mall area, with a focus on increasing community education, proactive outreach, and developing police-citizen partnerships, in addition to the strategic deployment of advanced technology and equipment. 

“Great Northern Mall is the center of commerce for North Olmsted.  Residents and guests need to have a safe and comfortable environment to shop, work, and play.  It has been my commitment to bring back dollars to our communities.  This is one of the ways taxpayers will see their money at work, keeping them and their families safe," said Rep. Glassburn. “I'm proud to support state dollars invested in North Olmsted, dedicated to reducing crime and supporting community-centered approaches to policing.”

The Great Northern Mall and the surrounding area have long been a center of business for the North Olmsted community, but as the retail and shopping market continues to evolve, the city is exploring new ways to utilize the space by rezoning it to a mixed-use residential and commercial zone. As the city moves forward with plans to revitalize the area, deploying a new approach to policing is crucial to creating the secure environment necessary to attract new residents and businesses alike.   

These funds were released through the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program, a state initiative launched in 2021 to award grants to local law enforcement agencies to implement innovative crime-reduction strategies.  The latest round of grants, funded through the state’s 2026-2027 operating budget, was distributed among 44 agencies, totaling $3.4M in state investment.