Peace officers who work separate from traditional city and county forces are playing a significant role in Ohio law enforcement, providing what one police chief calls a "necessary" service. Those officers, whose ranks are growing, are employed by organizations such as hospitals, colleges, airports and even a regional transit authority.
The Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission can certify 24 types of peace officers, who reach that distinction after finishing a minimum of 579 training hours and securing a position at an authorized agency. Qualified peace officers can make arrests, write criminal citations, apply for warrants and carry guns.
As of last week, there were 33,603 peace officers in Ohio, including employees at the most well-known agencies: city police and county sheriff's offices. That was a 12 percent increase from 2009.
Read the full Dayton Daily News story.