The Lorain County Sheriff told the Board of Commissioners on Aug. 1 that more than 75 law‑enforcement agencies and several private foundations provided mutual aid and support after the July ambush that killed Officer Philip Wagner and injured other officers.

"As the sheriff of Lorain County, I have the legal authority to request the assistance, personnel, and apparatus of any public safety agency in the state," the sheriff said, referencing Ohio law that allows county sheriffs to seek statewide assistance. He said the sheriff's office invoked that authority and coordinated deputies and agencies from Amherst, Elyria, Avon Lake, Avon, Perkins Township, the Ohio Highway Patrol, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office, Erie County, Henry County, Medina County, Ashland County, Westlake, Wellington, Sheffield Village and Oberlin, among others.

The sheriff said some mutual‑aid agreements had expired or were not fully effective, which made active coordination necessary. He thanked the Lorain County Community College Foundation and Mission Barbecue for providing meals and named law enforcement agencies and deputies who covered patrol and courthouse security while Lorain Police Department personnel attended the funeral and participated in the investigation.

The sheriff also asked the commissioners to send formal letters of thanks to the assisting agencies; the commissioners asked staff to prepare a list of participating agencies for outreach. Prosecutor Tony Sillo and Lorain law director Pat Riley were cited as cooperating with mutual‑aid coordination to ensure warrants, subpoenas and court orders were available to support the investigation.

Why it matters: The coordinated mutual aid preserved public safety coverage while the Lorain Police Department devoted resources to the investigation and funeral; the response involved municipal, county and out‑of‑state agencies and community organizations that provided logistical and meals support.

Details: The sheriff described specific operational assistance (county deputies answering calls across jurisdictional boundaries, courthouse security during the funeral, provision of electronic warrants and subpoenas), and said some agencies covered overtime costs so Lorain could grieve and still maintain public safety. He said agencies came from across the region and the nation and that the sheriff's office will provide the commissioners a list of participating agencies so the county can send official thanks.

Next steps: County staff will compile the list of assisting agencies and the commissioners will send letters of appreciation to the jurisdictions and organizations that provided personnel, equipment, meals and other support during the response and funeral.