Findlay looks to bolster public safety

FINDLAY — New emergency planning and more police and firefighters top Findlay's public safety improvement list. City administrators briefed council's Strategic Planning Committee on the efforts in July. The list includes new emergency operations planning across all city buildings and continued efforts to employ more police and firefighters. The city's first responders are currently working to refine Findlay's coordinated emergency operations plan, known internally as a COOP. In emergency response, COOP stands for "Continuity of Operations." It is an internal strategy used by groups to keep their most important tasks running during a disaster or crisis, similar to the response protocols developed by Findlay City Schools. New building-level plans are being developed that include egress routes, reunification sites and department-specific response procedures Teams from the city's Human Resource Department, mayor's office and police and fire command staff are visiting each city-operated building to work with department heads on emergency drills and response protocols. City officials said establishing "building-level readiness" has helped improve the city's internal readiness overall. The committee also heard updates on multi-agency training. Findlay police and fire, along with personnel from the Hancock County Sheriff's Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Hanco EMS, participated in the annual active shooter training at Findlay High School, 1200 Broad Ave., in July. The training placed officers in several high-stress scenarios featuring role players acting as shooters, victims and bystanders. Realistic elements, including screaming, mock injuries, simulated gunfire and even improvised explosive devices, were incorporated to mirror conditions officers could face in an actual attack. Riot response training has also been reinstated by the city after national unrest last year prompted a review of readiness. Staffing remains a priority for city officials. Over the past two years, city administrators have been working to improve the internal structures of the departments for efficiency and clarify roles so that any new hires are placed where they provide the most value. "We didn't want to just bring in warm bodies for the sake of saying we had more police on the street," said Mayor Christina Muryn. The Strategic Planning Committee is chaired by Councilwoman Heather Kensinger, R‑at large, and includes council members Nichole Coleman, R‑1; Brad Wagner, R‑at large; BJ Preston, R‑2; and Carol Smith, R‑3, along with Mayor Christina Muryn. Matt Cordonnier, of the Hancock Regional Planning Commission, and Auditor Jim Staschiak serve as ex‑officio members. Grant funding could help in the push for additional safety personnel. At its regular meeting on July 21, council rushed through legislation to apply for a federal Community Oriented Policing, or COPS grant. The grant is funded by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program supports local police agencies by funding initiatives that strengthen community policing, most commonly through the COPS Hiring Program. The program helps departments pay for additional sworn officers. Other COPS programs fund school-safety technology, specialized enforcement efforts, or community policing innovation projects. In a letter to city council, dated July 13, 2026, Police Chief Justin Hendren said the department is eligible to apply for the FY26 COPS Hiring Program, writing that the grant would "fund up to 75% of the salary and fringe benefits for newly hired, full-time sworn entry-level police officers for a period of three years." He said that the maximum federal share is $125,000 per officer position and that submitting an application "does not obligate the city or the police department to accept an award," allowing staffing and financial needs to be evaluated if funding is offered. Another federal grant, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, a "SAFER grant," could help pay for additional firefighters. Departments typically use SAFER grants to hire new personnel, rehire laid-off firefighters, or cover portions of salary and benefits during the grant period.