Ohio certifies 16 law enforcement agencies, recertifies 15 others
COLUMBUS – The Office of Criminal Justice Services announced the certification of 16 Ohio law enforcement agencies for state standards established by the Ohio Collaborative Community-police Advisory Board.
Fifteen additional agencies achieved their recertification, the state announced Tuesday.
Agencies completing the certification process have adopted and implemented the initial two standards regarding use of force and hiring and recruitment while the recertification process takes place on a revolving, three to four-year cycle.
Recently certified agencies:
– Cross Creek Township Police Department (Jefferson County)
– Cuyahoga Falls Police Department (Summit)
– Erie County Sheriff’s Office (Erie) – Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office (Fairfield)
– Fayette Police Department (Fulton) – Holden Arboretum Police Department (Lake)
– Northfield Village Police Department (Summit)
– Ottawa Hills Police Department (Lucas)
Poland Township Police Department (Mahoning)
– Promedica Police Department (Lucas)
– Reynoldsburg Division of Police (Franklin)
– Rossford Police Department (Wood)
– Salem Police Department (Columbiana)
– Summit County Sheriff’s Office (Summit)
– Swanton Police Department (Fulton)
– Wright State University Police Department (Greene)
The recertified agencies:
--Athens County Sheriff’s Office (Athens)
– Bay View Police Department (Erie) – Belmont County Sheriff’s Office (Belmont)
– Dayton Police Department (Montgomery)
– Delhi Township Police Department (Hamilton)
– Elmwood Place Police Department (Hamilton)
– Goshen Police Department (Mahoning)
– Knox County Sheriff’s Office (Knox)
– Middleburg Heights Police Department (Cuyahoga)
– Mount Vernon Police Department (Knox)
– Orwell Police Department (Ashtabula)
– Ottawa Hills Police Department (Lucas)
– Premier Health Department of Public Safety (Montgomery)
– Rossford Police Department (Wood)
– Wooster Police Department (Wayne)
Overall, there are 648 certified agencies throughout Ohio that have met the initial standards.
Additionally, 29,633 officers (representing 88.31% of all law enforcement officers in Ohio, including most of Ohio’s metropolitan areas) are employed by an agency that is involved in some form of the certification process.
The Collaborative was formed in 2015 to create uniform standards for Ohio’s law enforcement agencies. The first two standards were developed by the Collaborative in 2015 to improve the trust between citizens and law enforcement officers.
Additional standards established by the Collaborative address community engagement, bias-free policing, bodyworn cameras, vehicular pursuits, telecommunicator training, employee misconduct, mass protests, agency wellness, interaction with minors, interaction with people in crisis, and property room management and evidence control.
The standards are the first of their kind in Ohio and were developed and established by the Collaborative as part of the state’s efforts to strengthen community and police relations.
The state has partnered with the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police to help certify Ohio’s 900-plus law enforcement agencies on a process to ensure that they are in compliance with Ohio’s standards.
The complete list of agencies who have and have not been certified can be found at by accessing the Collaborative website.