The Oregon Police Department received a Stimulus Justice Assistance Grant of $107,917.

The money is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA) of 2009, signed by President Barack Obama on February 17. The AARA will inject $787 billion into the economy, providing jobs and other resources for states and local communities.

Oregon’s grant is part of $2,398,164 that was awarded to the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office, The Toledo Police Department, and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC). The sheriff’s office will get $485,628.50, Toledo Police will get $1,205,077.50, and the CJCC will get $599,541.

Oregon Police Chief Rick Stager said the department initially was going to get $13,000 from the grant before he lobbied for more money from Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre and Lucas County Sheriff James Telb.

“The grant [allocation] is based on Part 1 violent crimes [data] that are reported to the FBI, and uniform crime reports,” said Stager. The following crime reports in Oregon last year, he said, include: 5 forcible rapes, 14 robberies, 10 aggravated assaults, 144 burglaries, 888 larcenies (excluding thefts of motor vehicles), and 55 motor vehicle thefts.

Sixty percent of the grant goes to the state, while 40 percent to local agencies, said Stager.

He wants the grant to go toward the following:
•$42,000 for overtime regarding special events and targeted selective enforcement;
•$32,000 for two unmarked vehicles for the detective bureau;
•$10,000 for improvements on the firing range, including electronically moving “man” targets, more gravel, and a shed.
•$3,500 for a spare portable radio;
•$5,500 to outfit a new patrol car for training officers to add space, including reducing a cage in the back that separates prisoners from officers;
•$2,500 to replace furniture in the interrogation room.

“This is always subject to change, depending on our needs,” Stager told council’s committee of the whole meeting last Monday.

Administrator Ken Filipiak said there will be an opportunity to replace one of the department’s unmarked units “that very desperately need to be replaced.”

“Your Chevy Luminas are at least 10-years-old. Using available grant dollars for equipment helps us to be able to not have to use general dollars or capital improvement dollars to replace this equipment, which we would probably be coming to council for requests next year,” said Filipiak.

Toledo received permission to use its $1.2 million award to retain 75 police officers, according to Jason Webber, Mayor Carty Finkbeiner’s spokesman. “The city was scheduled to lay off 150 police officers on May 1. Yet, we received permission to use the funds to allow us to reduce the number of police layoffs, add more officers to neighborhood patrols, and retain our Gang Task Force,” he said.

The sheriff’s department will use its money for officer retention in 2010, according to Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop.

“Keeping our people safe is of the utmost importance. Recognizing that fact, the sheriff will use the money to keep his law enforcement officers in uniform and working in our communities,” he said.

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