Dept. of Justice awards TPD $1.25M COPS grant - Cleveland 19 News Cleveland, OH

The grant will be used to hire 10 additional police officers and pay for 75 percent of their wages for their first three years of service.

Because of the grant, the Toledo Police Department will be able to increase its next police class from 65 to 75 cadets. The class is scheduled to start Oct. 15 and will graduate some time in April 2014.

Once the 75 new officers hit the streets, the TPD can implement its Community Corridor Initiative. The additional manpower will provide for 10 officers to be dedicated to five of Toledo's historic neighborhoods to address concerns from residents and businesses. The program will function as a complement to the Data-Driven Policing Initiative, which combines intelligence-led policing with community-policing practices, and utilizes the latest technology and problem-solving methods.

Diggs was raised in Toledo and says a big part of his job now is to listen to what the communities' safety needs are, and do all he can to help. The targeted corridors are vital gateways into both business and residential areas of Toledo, and their success is critical to the overall well-being of the city. 

"I've been to numerous neighborhood meetings, and in each one of these neighborhoods that we have targeted these corridors, the citizens have asked for specific things. They want to see more officers," explained Diggs.

Areas to be targeted include:

-Lagrange Street corridor

-Cherry Street Legacy corridor

-Main Street corridor

-Broadway corridor

-Sylvania Avenue corridor

Neighbors are relieved to hear more attention will be focused on problem neighborhoods.

"We need that protection or whatever. We can't do it by ourselves, you know what I'm saying? If we do do it by ourselves, we end up going to jail. So we might as well let them do it for us. If we need more help from them, we just call them," said resident Paul Bennett.

The department also recently acquired more space at their facility at Owens Community College to accommodate the larger number of recruits. Diggs says to have big results and changes in safety, the department has to take on large challenges.

"It's going to be a challenge, but we're up to that challenge, because we need these officers on the street. I am fully confident in my police academy people to train these officers, and have them prepared to hit the streets in April of 2014," said Diggs.

Acceptance of this grant is still pending City Council approval.

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