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Middletown council accepts $61,000 state grant to expand surveillance cameras for violent-crime reduction
Summary
City Council accepted a 2025 violent crime reduction grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services to add 12 Flock Safety cameras and a mobile security trailer; council noted ongoing budget implications for years two and three.
Middletown City Council voted June 3 to accept a $61,000 2025 violent-crime reduction grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services to expand surveillance as part of a focused deterrence strategy.
City manager Ashley Combs explained the grant will fund installation of 12 additional Flock Safety cameras and a mobile security trailer to increase visibility, provide real-time alerts and aid evidence collection. “This expansion is crucial for adequately monitoring our growing community and addressing gaps in visibility that could encourage criminal behavior,” Combs said in the staff report.
The grant has no required local match for the first year, but staff told council that if the city continues the same number of cameras under the Flock contract, the city would need to budget $61,000 annually in years two and three unless additional grant funds are secured. Council members asked for clarification on the ongoing costs and were told the police department will pursue further grants but cannot guarantee funding in future years.
Council voted in roll-call to accept the award; all members present voted yes.
No changes to the camera vendor contract were presented at the June 3 meeting. Council members did not propose immediate changes to camera deployment beyond the expansion described in the staff report, and staff said they would continue to pursue grant funding for the contract’s subsequent years.
