Ohio Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike DeWine says the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation is setting aside a portion of its safety grant funding to help local police agencies purchase bulletproof vests.
The move follows reports of a union grievance stating more than 50 Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation agents are wearing expired vests despite pleas to have them replaced. The program will make up to 40 thousand dollars available to a law enforcement agency with a 25 percent local match. The Fraternal Order of Police says it is "dismayed" DeWine is politicizing the issue.