[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6146655,"mediaKeyId","5525202-0d228016f00bc097040945925606f800","parentId",5525202,"title","Sheriff recounts statewide mutual‑aid and community support after ambush that killed Lorain officer","audioSeconds",358,"startMs",2672000,"endMs",3030000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525202-0d228016f00bc097040945925606f800&start=2672&end=3030","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525202-0d228016f00bc097040945925606f800/thumbnail_2672000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6146655/Lorain-County/Ohio/Sheriff-recounts-statewide-mutualaid-and-community-support-after-ambush-that-killed-Lorain-officer","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146655-2509ff5d25b7b3cb135bcdbfa8568837/orig.mp4?Expires=1770416311&Signature=VHGrmUFt3VOaEStH-YmSkRmE~9-PPi2lsGnWiLDEu640sVdcyXvqAeguJaQJh~3QWtD7j5iyl2AZHxW3AwU9~-AC~lLxnw0OgAsmpNwsi6wrQUc3JKB6k3fLqfVOKNnvvAqBfrAtzJLi-6ptLthE83Cyn4RJTP0AAbmvbs0TeHfhd1SAdD2LhkYyuQU9b-dhJ~o6~dx3e2asAPjav5~VSk3fgBdBXbCZo7kLho9z06JIKrKJCzigYudxKxj6R6o6RvPsirQ56e0pbfzy3pcikqCkIkfccZi9u2v6g5MsY2ErFdza3IymaYmd9QZOp8CDUmQA2FKxoNg8Z8Pu9AkhqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lorain County OH","date","2025-08-02T03:03:30Z","article","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.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioners' Board Meeting 8/1/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Lorain County Sheriff described multi‑county and out‑of‑state mutual aid, and private foundations' support, following the July ambush that killed a Lorain police officer and injured others.","taxTitle","Lorain County, Ohio","taxId",4370,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146660,"Commissioner proposes study and public presentation on creating Lorain County Public Defender's Office",675,1960000,2635000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525202-0d228016f00bc097040945925606f800&start=1960&end=2635","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525202-0d228016f00bc097040945925606f800/thumbnail_1960000.jpg","/articles/6146660/Lorain-County/Ohio/Commissioner-proposes-study-and-public-presentation-on-creating-Lorain-County-Public-Defenders-Office","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146660-47999d2abf03654eb153529aa644d177/orig.mp4?Expires=1770416311&Signature=AjrZfVmhCmbR3mSv8vdPOI0t1JRBBSlcgJ3CTtR1RyaURB9gRxi7~ZBtob2i2Ac4z4BdNdAzsxWHM~BEP67D12bdCKIZax6UNFCbKw1w5IN2ac-9FF2U7KY-oBRXECROM5ownLavWE~Ue3l0g2HRgJD7XsK~RJdahRDX7kb2~pLCl-nQJ8qG88Paw6D6-1mz4uw3EqeaLMT7Uj35wl7OYX4ViwYjrpyh84kOZZDgu-kbe2fcuUEQQw4SKzzbmHFPvkuXVyGgna6B2A~05JhaAxuDNQ0FjXvpTH77SlrXDDiBnK2ZezpGrzm2-~L7oZopO1uRVMjcReoN0En-BELjAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioner Moore urged the Lorain County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 1 to explore creating a county Public Defender's Office, saying the county spent about $3.8 million in 2024 on court‑appointed private attorneys for indigent defense. \"These costs are unsustainable,\" Moore said, arguing a staffed public defender office could produce predictable budgets and higher state reimbursement rates.

Moore cited counties with staffed public defender offices as examples of lower per‑case cost and better administrative transparency and said national research shows public defender offices can reduce pretrial detention and case duration. \"Now it's time for Lorain County to join the 26 other counties that have modernized indigent defense systems,\" he said. Moore said centralizing billing and staffing could help the county capture higher state reimbursement percentages, which he said can reach up to 82 percent of indigent defense costs under current state rules.

Moore said he encountered limits in gathering data from the Ohio Public Defender's Office and recommended inviting their staff to make a presentation in a public meeting so the three commissioners could ask questions directly. Commissioners agreed to schedule a presentation on a weekday (suggested Tuesday) and Moore asked that representatives from the prosecutor’s office and the courts be invited to participate in the discussion as stakeholders.

No formal vote was taken to change county policy. The board agreed to seek a public presentation and additional data from the Ohio Public Defender's Office as a next step before any decision on establishing a county office.

Why it matters: Indigent defense is a compulsory public service; how the county organizes and pays for it affects county budgets, state reimbursement, attorney assignment practices and the rights of defendants.

Details and evidence: Moore presented county spending figures (stated as $3.8 million in 2024) and noted a distribution pattern among private assigned counsel; he also referenced higher reimbursement rates for centralized offices and national research on public defender outcomes. He proposed inviting the Ohio Public Defender's Office to brief the commissioners and suggested inviting the Lorain County Prosecutor and representatives of the courts to observe and participate.

Next steps: County staff were directed to contact the Ohio Public Defender's Office to arrange a public presentation; the board requested that the prosecutor's office and court representatives attend so commissioners can pose questions and collect the information needed to evaluate whether to create a Local Public Defender's Office.","Commissioner Moore asked the board to invite the Ohio Public Defender's Office for a public briefing and to consider establishing a county public defender office as a cost‑saving and oversight measure.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146665,"Lorain County marks Child Support Enforcement Month; agency cites collections gains and amnesty program",777,201000,978000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5525202-0d228016f00bc097040945925606f800&start=201&end=978","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5525202-0d228016f00bc097040945925606f800/thumbnail_201000.jpg","/articles/6146665/Lorain-County/Ohio/Lorain-County-marks-Child-Support-Enforcement-Month-agency-cites-collections-gains-and-amnesty-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146665-53becbd287f1a792c93003494918d03f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770416311&Signature=QYA3wQ3A4A8aAngwa~fy5na~w2W-BgFlY11Ok8RuvE79rIu79TRSuMAn1b1Smy1NAJRIsKvfQX-COZKSEdes9IdotFoWMKe3DzHidAFbxNCx-xl9SYzMjNerHbjwz5ydpXn8XgvUVgW3OhTUWyNNkwhLlXUOPsuDYHTL~TybvhnO5DbPL1IBjlPtOdZLSV0W64pzBqwKzAcuRZrA0ax~t0zLWbftO97et4vVowuEDzRbEQKV9zzvEJ-OwH31KdsaCzn36~~8hVxAP2OAE5gZjheJWzW7RO1PdxDE~9-5nzWBpIZzCYmXYNmsBWont7ESJSYfyo12iMSp~j5TAXnqtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Amy Price, Child Support Enforcement Agency representative, told the Lorain County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 1 that the county’s child support program has increased collections and will again run a one‑month amnesty program timed for back to school. \"Any obligor that's in default of their child support and has had their license suspended … can pay 1 month's school support and $1 towards arrears, and … we will reinstate their driver's license,\" Price said.

Price said the agency has 55 staff handling about 24,000 open cases and that, as of June 30, it had established paternity for 10,199 of 11,230 children born out of wedlock this year (96 percent) and established support in 17,891 of 18,740 open cases (95.88 percent). She reported $22,948,378 collected for current support (72.45 percent of current support owed) and $77,965,762 collected in arrears, numbers she said are up from the prior year.

The agency described the amnesty program as a short, targeted effort to “get an extra bump” in payments before school starts; Price and commissioners discussed its limits and trade‑offs. Commissioner Moore questioned whether the one‑month/$1 approach creates a recurring escape route for obligors; Commissioner Riddell said public shaming could harm children and urged caution. Price said license suspension and reinstatement cycles, while imperfect, remain one of the most effective enforcement tools and that the agency pursues bank intercepts and other enforcement techniques for collectible arrears.

Price also said the county is pursuing an early engagement program for fathers, beginning with available funding for father‑focused services, with the intention of expanding to mothers later. Jobs and Family Services Director Chris Cabot noted the county is working with the state on an Ohio County Fatherhood Mobilization Initiative and that the state may provide startup funding for local programming.

The board also approved an administrative amendment to a prior resolution authorizing purchase‑of‑service contracts tied to child support operations (Resolution 25244, adopted April 8, 2025) to correct the accounting classification. The amendment was moved and seconded and recorded as approved by the commissioners.

Price said the agency plans continued outreach and enforcement work, including efforts to reduce individual caseloads by adding caseworkers. \"I just need to put more caseworkers on these cases so they don't have 1,300,\" she said.

Why it matters: The county's child support program affects thousands of families — collecting current support and arrears funds school and household needs for children across Lorain County and influences county budgets and partnerships with courts and law enforcement.

Details: The agency highlighted partnerships with the prosecutor's office, juvenile court, domestic relations court and the sheriff's office and said federal reimbursement covered approximately $1.8 million toward salaries and programming. Price gave examples of large enforcement recoveries, including a bank intercept that yielded $750,000 in arrears in one case.

Next steps: Price said staff will continue enforcement and outreach, pursue the fatherhood mobilization funding, and the commissioners encouraged the agency to return with follow‑up data on recidivism after amnesty periods and any measurable effects of early engagement efforts.","The Lorain County Child Support Enforcement Agency reported higher collection rates and outlined an annual back-to-school amnesty program and a new fatherhood engagement initiative during the Board of Commissioners meeting Aug. 1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sheriff recounts statewide mutual‑aid and community support after ambush that killed Lorain officer

Commissioner proposes study and public presentation on creating Lorain County Public Defender's Office

Lorain County marks Child Support Enforcement Month; agency cites collections gains and amnesty program