Ohio § 505.482

§ 505.482.

(A) The boards of township trustees of any two or more contiguous townships, or the boards

of township trustees of one or more contiguous townships and the legislative authorities

of one or more contiguous municipal corporations, whether or not within the same county,

by adoption of a joint resolution by a majority favorable vote of each such board

and of the members of the legislative authority of each such municipal corporation,

may form themselves into a joint police district comprising all or any part of the

townships or municipal corporations as are mutually agreed upon.  The governing body of the joint police district shall be a joint police district

board, which shall include either all of the township trustees of each township and

all of the members of the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the

district, as agreed to and established in the joint resolution creating the joint

police district;  or an odd number of members as agreed to and established in the

joint resolution, as long as the members are representatives from each board of township

trustees of each township and from the legislative authority of each municipal corporation

in the joint police district. (B) The joint police district board shall organize within thirty days after the favorable

vote by the last board of township trustees or the members of the legislative authority

of the last municipal corporation joining itself into the joint police district board.  The chairperson of the board of township trustees of the most populous participating

township or the legislative authority of the most populous participating municipal

corporation shall give notice of the time and place of organization to each pending

member of the joint police district board, as established in the joint resolution.  Such notice shall be signed and shall be sent by certified mail to each such pending

member of the board at least five days prior to the organization meeting, which meeting

shall be held in one of the participating townships or municipal corporations.  Two-thirds of the joint police district board members constitutes a quorum.  The members of the joint police district board shall, at the organization meeting,

proceed with the election of a president, a secretary, and a treasurer, and such other

officers as they consider necessary and proper, and shall transact such other business

as properly comes before the board. (C) In the formation of a joint police district, such action may be taken by or on behalf

of part of a township, by excluding that portion of the township lying within a municipal

corporation.  The joint police district board may exercise the same powers as are granted to a

board of township trustees in the operation of a township police district under sections 505.49 to 505.55 of the Revised Code , including, but not limited to, the power to employ, train, and discipline personnel,

to acquire equipment and buildings, to levy a tax, to issue bonds and notes, and to

dissolve the district.