Ohio Code § 2921.44

Ohio Code § 2921.44. Reproduced from the official Ohio Revised Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 2921.44.

(A) No law enforcement officer shall negligently do any of the following: (1) Fail to serve a lawful warrant without delay; (2) Fail to prevent or halt the commission of an offense or to apprehend an offender,

when it is in the law enforcement officer's power to do so alone or with available

assistance. (B) No law enforcement, ministerial, or judicial officer shall negligently fail to perform

a lawful duty in a criminal case or proceeding. (C) No officer, having charge of a detention facility, shall negligently do any of the

following: (1) Allow the detention facility to become littered or unsanitary; (2) Fail to provide persons confined in the detention facility with adequate food, clothing,

bedding, shelter, and medical attention; (3) Fail to control an unruly prisoner, or to prevent intimidation of or physical harm

to a prisoner by another; (4) Allow a prisoner to escape; (5) Fail to observe any lawful and reasonable regulation for the management of the detention

facility. (D) No public official of the state shall recklessly create a deficiency, incur a liability,

or expend a greater sum than is appropriated by the general assembly for the use in

any one year of the department, agency, or institution of the state with which the

public official is connected. (E) No public servant shall recklessly fail to perform a duty expressly imposed by law

with respect to the public servant's office, or recklessly do any act expressly forbidden

by law with respect to the public servant's office. (F) Whoever violates this section is guilty of dereliction of duty, a misdemeanor of

the second degree. (G) Except as otherwise provided by law, a public servant who is a county treasurer;

 county auditor;  township fiscal officer;  city auditor;  city treasurer;  village

fiscal officer;  village clerk-treasurer;  village clerk;  in the case of a municipal

corporation having a charter that designates an officer who, by virtue of the charter,

has duties and functions similar to those of the city or village officers referred

to in this section, the officer so designated by the charter;  school district treasurer;

 fiscal officer of a community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised

Code;  treasurer of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school established

under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code;  or fiscal officer of a college-preparatory

boarding school established under Chapter 3328. of the Revised Code and is convicted

of or pleads guilty to dereliction of duty is disqualified from holding any public

office, employment, or position of trust in this state for four years following the

date of conviction or of entry of the plea, and is not entitled to hold any public

office until any repayment or restitution required by the court is satisfied. (H) As used in this section, “ public servant ” includes the following: (1) An officer or employee of a contractor as defined in section 9.08 of the Revised Code ; (2) A fiscal officer employed by the operator of a community school established under

Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code or by the operator of a college-preparatory boarding

school established under Chapter 3328. of the Revised Code.

Source: official Ohio text · Last verified 2026-08-27

At a glance

  • Citation: Ohio Revised Code § 2921.44
  • Jurisdiction: Ohio
  • Code: Ohio Revised Code
  • Text: transcribed from the official source (verify below)

Verify the text

Statute text is transcribed from the official Ohio Revised Code. Confirm it against the primary source before relying on it:

Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed Ohio attorney.

Common questions

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The text above is transcribed from the Ohio Revised Code, the codified statutes of Ohio. The official publisher link appears under "Verify the text" on this page.

What subject does Ohio Revised Code § 2921.44 address?

It addresses the rule set out in the section text. Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.

Is Ohio Revised Code § 2921.44 still in force?

Statutes are amended, repealed, and renumbered every session. Confirm the current version at the official Ohio source before relying on this text.

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