The city of lorain is seeking $931,000 in DOJ byrne grant funding to establish the "safer (staffing assistance for effective retention) lorain" program

The City of Lorain was awarded a $931,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Congressionally Recommended Awards program (CFDA 16.753). This grant, titled the "SAFER (Staffing Assistance for Effective Retention) Lorain" program, aims to provide recruitment and retention resources to achieve the Lorain Police Department's authorized staffing level of 104 full-time sworn officers, 10 full-time communication officers, and 5 full-time civilian support staff.

The grant funding will be used to institute a retention bonus program for current personnel and establish a recruitment bonus for newly hired officers. This initiative is intended to address the Lorain Police Department's historical challenges in providing competitive compensation to attract and retain personnel, which has resulted in the department operating below its authorized staffing level and facing higher-than-average crime rates in the city. The grant performance period is from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2027.

This initiative aims to provide recruitment and retention resources to achieve the authorized staffing level. Currently, the lorain police department operates below its authorized staffing level, with 104 full-time sworn officers, 10 full-time communication officers, and 5 full-time civilian support staff members. Lorain faces a crime rate higher than many of ohio's cities and towns of all sizes. Historically, the department has grappled with providing competitive compensation to attract and retain personnel. This challenge, combined with the city's elevated crime rates, has depleted the police force, leaving IT understaffed and strained. DOJ byrne resources will ensure that the lorain police department possesses the necessary personnel to fulfill its objectives: preventing crime, enforcing laws in a fair and impartial manner, and apprehending law violators. With this funding, we will institute a retention bonus for current personnel, disbursed annually on their anniversary date. The program will commence upon the grant's award and remain in effect until the grant completion date. Additionally, we will establish a recruitment bonus for newly hired officers, which will be paid in two (2) installments.