Abrams Applauds State Board Law Enforcement Initiatives
COLUMBUS - This month, the Ohio State Controlling Board approved requests for funding totaling over $5 million to support law enforcement programs across the state.
Requests made by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office regard the AG’s Gun Crime Reduction Initiative, the Law Enforcement Reimbursement Training Pilot Program and administrative tools for Ohio’s police departments to address outstanding arrest warrants.
“My office has worked diligently to support Ohio’s law enforcement and first responders. I’m pleased to see similar efforts from the executive branch being supported by the Controlling Board,” said Abrams. “This funding will help make our communities safer and protect those who are on the job.”
The largest release of funds is to expand the use of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Integrated Ballistic Information Network system coverage for the state of Ohio. Over $1 million will be used to purchase five new Integrated Ballistic Identification Systems. Increased access to NIBIN systems will provide more timely investigative leads and better tools for collecting evidence involving gun violence.
Currently, BCI has one NIBIN system and can only serve Northeast Ohio.
Also, newly released were funds of $351,750 to contract with Optimum Technology, Inc. to improve Ohio’s protection order and warrants system. After recommendations made by the Ohio Governor’s Warrant Task Force, Innovate Ohio developed a statewide electronic warrant system to effectively track the status of warrants from creation to service.
The contract will connect the new statewide eWarrants system to the Ohio Attorney’s General’s office’s records management system. This will allow law enforcements, courts and clerks to share criminal justice data efficiently and securely.
Finally, $3.7 million was transferred from the fiscal year 2022 to 2023 in order to continue the Law Enforcement Reimbursement Training Pilot Program, an initiative sponsored by Abrams in the FY 22-23 biennial operating budget. No changes were made to the purpose of the existing funding.
The next Controlling Board meeting is scheduled for July 11.