Perrysburg Township and Rossford police departments are teaming up to provide criminal patrol.
Township police Chief Matt Gazarek told trustees at their meeting on Jan. 17 that the departments are seeing an increase in retail theft, drug trafficking and credit card fraud.
In recent weeks, there have been reports of individuals passing counterfeit money in the township, Rossford and Perrysburg, he said.
“It’s a small step in our ultimate goal,” Gazarek said. “All in the efforts to combat crime and keep our community safe.”
Several officers will be assigned on a part-time basis, he said.
Whether three days or a week at a time, the two departments will patrol as one unit, mostly on Interstate 75 and Ohio 20.
Gazarek said he has known Rossford Police Chief Todd Kitzler for years and this is something they always talked about.
Now that they are both chiefs of police, it made sense to continue those conversations they had over coffee many years ago, Gazarek said.
“We won’t be patrolling downtown Rossford. They won’t be patrolling Lime City Road. This is specified areas of concern,” he explained.
More attention can be given to the areas in question to deter crime, he said.
Trustee Gary Britten wanted to know if they team will help clean up on Interstate 75 that spans the township and the city.
Absolutely, Gazarek said.
He said a driver travels through the township, then Rossford then the township again when driving on the interstate. The same happens on Route 20.
The two departments are already assisting each other, but “this puts it on paper that ’we’re a team,’ Gazarek said.
“This is a benefit to not only Rossford and us, but hopefully once we get this thing going … hopefully Perrysburg would like to join us,” he said.
It makes good sense, said Trustee Joe Schaller.
“The effort to form a team, a task force, to put that together, there is a lot more opportunity in the long run,” he said.
This partnership should be eligible for grant funding.
Trustees will prepare a resolution and present it at the Feb. 7 meeting.
At the Jan. 22 Rossford City Council meeting, members approved the cooperative agreement.
Rossford Police Chief Todd Kitzler said the ordinance will allow the two entities to form a task force with the intent of stopping drug trafficking, human trafficking, and organized retail theft on Rote 20.
“We can pull our resources,” he said.
It will be a separate operation from regular patrols, he said.
“This is a good program for our police to get into,” said city Administrator Allyson Murray. “It will go a long way in benefiting the township and the city.”
