(A) Each township that adopts a limited home rule government shall promptly do one of the following:

Terms Used In Ohio Code 504.16

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Rule: includes regulation. See Ohio Code 1.59

(1) Establish a police district pursuant to section 505.48 of the Revised Code, except that the district shall include all of the unincorporated area of the township and no other territory;

(2) Establish a joint police district pursuant to section 505.482 of the Revised Code;

(3) Contract pursuant to section 311.29, 505.43, or 505.50 of the Revised Code to obtain police protection services, including the enforcement of township resolutions adopted under this chapter, on a regular basis;

(4) Designate one or more police constables under Chapter 509. of the Revised Code.

(B) A township that has taken an action described in division (A) of this section before adopting a limited home rule government need not take any other such action upon adopting that government.

(C) The requirement that a township take one of the actions described in divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of this section does not prevent a township that acts under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section from contracting under division (A)(3) of this section to obtain additional police protection services on a regular basis.