DeWine announces grants to combat illegal drug activity
The Lawrence County Prosecutor's Office was awarded $71,645 of the funds.
Grants from the 2025 Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund will support drug task forces in their work to prevent drug trafficking, pharmaceutical diversion, and other organized criminal activity associated with the drug trade.
"Ohio's drug task forces are a major deterrent to those pushing drugs in our communities," said Governor DeWine. "Their work is indispensable in rooting out traffickers and suppliers, and we are proud to continue offering this support."
Since 2019, this program has awarded more than $20 million to drug task forces throughout the state.
Funds can be used by agencies to investigate drug trafficking organizations and disrupt the drug supply through intelligence gathering, information sharing, and multi-agency coordination. Grants can also be used to support local work to help drug overdose victims and their families through education, support, and treatment options.
The Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund is part of the Drug Interdiction, Disruption, and Reduction Plan that is funded through Ohio's operating budget. The grant program is administered by the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services within the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
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More than a third of those killings have happened in the past month. In Over-the-Rhine, there have been five homicides this year, three of which have been in the past month. Reported shootings remain down across the city. Cincinnati police report 110 people have been shot so far this year, compared with 142 at this point in 2024. Have Downtown residents, workers expressed safety concerns? A logistics firm near downtown Cincinnati is relocating its offices to Blue Ash following a string of violent incidents in and around the city center in recent weeks, including a violent altercation at Fourth and Elm streets. Victor Louis, founder and CEO of One Logistics Network, said in an interview with The Enquirer that the July 26 incident was a factor in his decision to move, but he's been contemplating a move for months and signed a lease last week for new office space near Summit Park in Blue Ash. Cincinnati's Downtown restaurateurs, including the CEO of Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment, have called for a "real plan" to address the recent public safety concerns. More than 100 people packed a community meeting with Cincinnati leaderson July 29 that had been scheduled before the fight. "I will not tolerate lawlessness on the streets of Cincinnati," Theetge said during the July 29 meeting at the Cincinnati Public Library. "I owe it to you as people who live and work here to get the lawlessness under control." One resident questioned the department's response to the fight during the early hours of Saturday morning, asking Theetge how many 911 calls for noise complaints or other disorder police received prior to the fight breaking out. A woman chimed in that there was at least one, indicating she had called that night. "Downtown was hopping. It was loud. It was crowded. 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