NORTH LIMA — The Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office soon plans to launch an extended special-victims unit that promises to add layers of protection to the county’s most vulnerable citizens.

“These are victims that need the most help,” county Prosecutor Gina DeGenova said during the first town hall meeting she conducted Tuesday at the Beaver Township Government Center, 11999 South Ave.

The one-hour session was to give people a more comprehensive look at, and educate them about, the office’s many programs and offerings. It also was the first of several monthly gatherings DeGenova has scheduled for this year throughout the county.

The special-victims unit will be enhanced to include not only cases dealing with violence against women, but against those with special needs, elderly people and animals, she noted.

Along those lines, her office has established a close partnership with Compass Family & Community Services, Animal Charity of Ohio, Direction Home of Eastern Ohio and other agencies to protect the vulnerable populations those entities serve, DeGenova explained.

The longtime prosecutor also provided an update on Hope, a golden retriever that is undergoing training at a Poland facility to be a therapy dog. The animal will be used largely to provide comfort and support to people who are dealing with trauma associated with being a victim of crime, having to testify and other stressful circumstances.

The dog, which should receive its final certification in the first quarter of this year, was rescued in December 2022 after having been abandoned on a Trumbull County farm when the animal was about 10 months old. Hope was then taken to the Animal Welfare League in Vienna before being adopted at the Mahoning County Dog Pound.

Before being rescued, the dog had been kept in an outdoor kennel, was found with a frozen water bowl and had no interactions with anyone, DeGenova recalled.

“She’s here to help our victims; she’s here to help our witnesses,” DeGenova continued.

Also discussed was human trafficking, a large problem in the Mahoning Valley partly because of the elaborate freeway system that provides offenders with easy access into and out of the area.

DeGenova said she hopes to have traffic cameras installed at local rest stops, often used as a hub for traffickers, especially since many stops are being upgraded. In addition, it’s imperative to place signage at rest stops to alert the public on what to look for regarding human trafficking, she explained, adding that the trucking industry is doing more to train its drivers the same way.

Also at Monday’s meeting was Jennifer Bonish, who will be chief of the special-victims unit. Bonish recalled that in November 2018, she prosecuted David Kalna of Youngstown, who was convicted on two counts of trafficking in persons and compelling prostitution after having been accused of trafficking a girl, 15, for sex with another man for money. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The Kalna case was the first human trafficking conviction in Mahoning County, she noted.

Bonish called human trafficking “a relatively new crime,” but noted that, even though it tends to be underreported, the scourge is receiving increased public attention.

In addition, DeGenova talked about her support for the county’s diversion programs that provide treatment for certain offenders in lieu of jail time. They include the mental health and drug courts, as well as a theft diversion program for low-level offenders, she said.

The office also is moving forward on furthering its free speakers bureau in which presenters can be brought in to discuss in schools and other public sites a variety of topics that include the many scams that target older people.

DeGenova added that her office intends to likely host five self-defense classes this year that will offer tips on crime prevention, along with techniques to help participants avoid being victims.

Three such classes were held last year, she said.

Upcoming town halls

• Feb. 7 — Jackson Township Community Center, 10613 Mahoning Ave., North Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

• March 6 — Ellsworth Fire Hall, 6036 S. Warren-Salem Road, Ellsworth, 6:30 p.m.