The Put-in-Bay Police Department was recently awarded $4,263 to purchase body armor for their officers as part of the Ohio Law Enforcement Body Armor Program. In June 2018, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation announced it would dedicate a portion of safety grants to prevent injuries and fatalities among law enforcement officers. Under an agreement between the Attorney General and BWC, the Ohio Law Enforcement Body Armor Program will be eligible for these funds through June 2019.

“We received the acceptance letter fairly quickly,” said Chief Steve Riddle of the Put-in-Bay Police Department. “After the Ottawa County Safety Council told us about the program and how to apply, we contacted OHLEG. The timeframe is about one month.”

BWC Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, and State Attorney General Dave Yost recently announced an additional $500,000 to fund the Attorney General’s Ohio Law Enforcement Body Armor Program. This is on top of an initial $2 million previously announced for fiscal year 2019.

The Ottawa County Safety Council is sponsored by the Ottawa County Improvement Corporation and the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. For more information about the Ottawa County Safety Council or how to join, please contact Jessica Kowalski at 419-898-6242 or visit www.ocic.biz/safety-council.