![This picture appears on the Summit County sheriff's diversity, equity and inclusion page. It reads, "We are creating an inclusive environment and culture so that employees are respected and appreciated, have equal access to workplace opportunities, feel a sense of belonging, and are compensated appropriately." [Office of the Summit County Sheriff]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5e9174a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/974x548+0+0/resize/840x472!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fimages%2Fnews%2Fnpr%2F2022%2F02%2FSummit-Sheriff-DEI-page.jpg)
Summit County Sheriff’s Office is getting a state grant to increase recruitment of women and minorities in law enforcement.
Esther Thomas is the director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the sheriff’s office. She says it wants to use part of the $61,000 grant to showcase diversity in the sheriff’s office and encourage more people from underrepresented communities to pursue careers in law enforcement.
“We have women. We have minorities here. We have people of different ethnicities, races and religions on our force, but we don’t have some of those materials to convey that," Thomas said. "So when someone evaluates the company, they look at their printed materials. They look at the website. They say, 'What does this organization look like? When I get there, will I belong, and is there equity?'”
Thomas says it will also provide mentorships, ambassadorships and scholarships for those who may not be able to afford training academy fees.
Copyright 2022 WKSU. To see more, visit WKSU.