LIMA — The Lima Police Department is set to receive a grant for $9,900 from the Ohio Law Enforcement Recruitment Grant Program. The program was created by Governor Mike DeWine to enable police departments throughout Ohio to focus on recruiting.
“Recruitment remains a priority need for nearly all Ohio law enforcement agencies,” said DeWine in a recent press release. “This funding support will help dozens of local law enforcement agencies carry out recruitment projects aimed at attracting more people into law enforcement careers.”
According to the release, LPD will utilize the funding to create a marketing campaign to improve the recruitment of women and minority police officers.
According to Lima Police Maj. John Bishop, the campaign will cover promotions on social media and billboards, as well as a recruitment video and appearances at additional job fairs and colleges. Having a diverse police force representing various ethnicities and cultures, as well as a more visible female contingent, can help humanize officers in the eyes of the public, showing the community that police officers are part of that community, as well, Bishop said.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to bring people in of all races and genders to try to be as diverse as we can,” he said.
Bishop hopes that this additional funding for marketing will help the department add not only new recruits but good people.
“We want everybody,” he said. “We need cops. We need good quality people to be cops.”
