COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVN)--The city of Columbus will be adding 100 new police officers to the force by the end of 2018, with additional funding announced to add 30 new police recruits to the two existing classes.
Mayor Andrew Ginther made the announcement Wednesday, as part of the Comprehensive Neighborhood Safety Strategy, which was implemented in late 2017.
In total, the new officers will cost $1-million, with half of the money coming from City Council, and the other half from the Mayor's office.
Ginther says about two-thirds of the city's budget every year goes to public safety, like police and fire. The new officers will go along with the community initiatives that are being implemented to alleviate crime across the city.
In 2017, the city of Columbus had the highest murder rate in the city's history. Many officials point to the ongoing opioid epidemic as a cause.
The union representing Columbus Police officers has also asked for more officers on the streets to fight crime. Last summer, they gave a vote of "no confidence" to Mayor Ginther, the Columbus City Council President at the time, Zach Klein, and Public Safety Director Ned Pettus.