Ohio is giving hundreds of millions of federal dollars in grants to police, fire and emergency services throughout the state. Statehouse correspondent Jo Ingles reports.
Gov. Mike DeWine says $250 million will go to help first responders, police and troopers, who are far more likely to have depression, PTSD and burnout and are more likely to die by suicide than the general public.
“This is clearly not the time to defund the police. This is the time to fund them and in a new, creative way that helps them protect us from the violent offenders.”
$75 million will go to wellness programs, with the rest going to new community police programs, equipment and officer recruitment. DeWine says several GOP lawmakers support the plan.