Ohio Governor Vows to Target 1% Who are Violent Offenders

Data shows a small segment of Ohioans are responsible for most violent crime, and Gov. Mike DeWine says local, state and federal law enforcement agencies will be going after these perpetrators.

By Cornelius Frolik

Source Dayton Daily News, Ohio

Dec. 2, 2025

5 min read

What to know

• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and state, local and federal partners announced expanded, data-driven operations targeting repeat violent offenders and individuals who illegally possess firearms.

• Officials said additional state resources—including intelligence units, parole officers, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and aviation support—will focus on high-crime areas, high-risk offenders and unlawful weapon possession.

• Statewide initiatives have already produced hundreds of felony arrests and over 150 firearm recoveries this year.

Gov. Mike DeWine announces Monday 'an enhanced law enforcement collaboration' targeting repeat violent offenders. — Joined by state, local, and federal law enforcement officials, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announces Monday "an enhanced law enforcement collaboration" targeting repeat violent offenders.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, along with state and local public safety officials, this week vowed to go after repeat violent offenders and people who unlawfully possess firearms in the Dayton region.

Over the last five decades, more than two-thirds of people arrested in Ohio for violent crimes had previous arrests, and less than 1% of the adult population in the state was arrested for violent offenses or weapons crimes in any given year during that time frame, says research by the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

The data shows a small segment of the population is responsible for most violent crime, DeWine said while in Dayton this week, and local, state and federal law enforcement agencies will be conducting focused, data-driven operations that will target violent perpetrators and people who illegally possess guns.

"This truly is a team effort," DeWine said. "To the repeat violent offenders, who continuously disregard the law and illegally carry guns, we have this as a warning today: We are using the combined expertise of every one of these agencies to find you, to put you in jail, to put you in prison and get you out of the community."

Targeting violent crime

DeWine this week held a news conference at Dayton City Hall where he was joined by a variety of law enforcement partners to discuss ongoing and enhanced efforts to battle violent crime in Dayton and other Ohio communities.

DeWine and officials with the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Ohio Department of Public Safety said they will be committing more state resources to violence reduction efforts and building on existing relationships between state and local law enforcement agencies.

DeWine shared data from the Ohio Department of Public Safety that showed that 69% of suspects arrested for violent crimes statewide between 1974 and 2023 had previous arrests. The research found that 36% of arrested suspects during that time frame had two to four previous arrests, while one-third of arrestees had five or more previous arrests.

Dayton police Chief Kamran Afzal said some data suggest that around 150 to 200 people in Dayton are responsible for a large share of violent crime in the city.

Dayton, which has a population of about 135,500 residents, had one of the highest homicide rates in the nation in 2024. Afzal said that violent crime across the board is down about 18% this year in the city. Still, he and other city leaders say they want to see greater declines.

Additional state resources

State agencies that will assist with the Dayton region's violent crime reduction operations include the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, the Ohio Investigative Unit and the Ohio Adult Parole Authority.

The intelligence center will work with the Dayton Police Department's Real Time Crime Center to identify high-crime areas and try to locate repeat violent offenders. The investigative unit will focus on people who illegally carry guns and commit other crimes at liquor establishments. The parole authority will try to identify offenders in Dayton who are violating the terms of their parole or who are at high risk of committing new offenses.

Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles Jones this week said the state patrol, in partnership with local and federal agencies, will be conducting coordinated violent crime reduction efforts in the Dayton region. Police will be deployed to high-crime areas, based on analysis of crime data and law enforcement intelligence, he said.

Troopers will assist with high-risk offenders and support saturation patrols in areas with significant levels of violent crime, Jones said.

"This model has been used successfully in cities across Ohio, and the approach remains consistent, targeted, collaborative and shaped by the needs of each community," Jones said. "For the people of Dayton, here's what this means: It means safer streets, it means fewer victims, and it means neighborhoods gaining stability and peace."

One form of support is the state patrol's aviation division, which helps officers on the ground by identifying and tracking suspects and relaying information about their movements and activities.

By watching and following suspects from above, the state patrol aviation units eliminate the need for potentially dangerous police pursuits on local roadways, officials said.

Footage captured by an aviation unit on Nov. 4 showed police following two teens in Dayton who officials say were fleeing a traffic stop in a stolen car. The aviation unit told officers where to go and pointed officers to where one of the suspects allegedly attempted to ditch a firearm.

Unlawful possession of firearms

DeWine said half of all people arrested for weapons violations in Ohio are repeat offenders who had five or more previous arrests. Eight in 10 weapon arrests in the state involve a suspect with previous arrests.

DeWine said police partners will target Ohioans who unlawfully carry firearms, including people convicted of violent crimes and minors.

The law enforcement operations in Dayton will be similar to violent crime reduction efforts that have taken place in other Ohio communities, including Canton, Cleveland, Columbus, Springfield and Youngstown. Violent crime initiatives this year have led to more than 400 felony arrests and the recovery of more than 150 firearms statewide.

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