The City of Elyria is pleased to announced it has secured a $2.7 million dollar grant for the Elyria Police Department from the Violent Crime Reduction Act. The grant will be used to hire 12 new officers focused on proactive initiatives to prevent violent crime. The funds will also be used to offer sign-on and retention bonuses and to purchase new equipment for the digital forensics and crime scene units.
“We are actively recruiting police candidates now, and this grant will be a huge help” said Police Chief William Pelko. “These officers will strengthen our manpower on the road to combat violent crime in our city.”
Mayor Frank Whitfield agrees. “This is a huge win for the city of Elyria in our pursuit to combat and prevent violent crime. These resources help us retain and increase our capacity both in terms of manpower but also technology. This grant will go a long way in doing just that, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Mayor Whitfield and Chief Pelko also thank Lt. Eric Palmer and Shannon Strachan from McCaulley and Company for their efforts in securing this grant.
Lateral and entry-level testing will begin in early January as the Elyria Police Department continues its hiring efforts. Interested candidates should visit www.cityofelyria.org/department/police for the latest on available positions.