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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Q1onX/ClZi0+/n9UGbNd8aPFC/9INd3nGwqR2QN2+7mZXc/nPianuWpxPZBKwO9U
 /Wh62M0ah/B8BEQ2NuxF/Q==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000708955-03-000048.txt : 20030409
<SEC-HEADER>0000708955-03-000048.hdr.sgml : 20030409
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030409142059
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000708955-03-000048
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030408
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030409

SUBJECT COMPANY:	

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000708955
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
		IRS NUMBER:				311042001
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-12379
		FILM NUMBER:		03643892

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		300 HIGH ST
		CITY:			HAMILTON
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45011
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5138674700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		300 HIGH ST
		CITY:			HAMILTON
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45011

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LEEP BRUCE E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001167404
		RELATIONSHIP:				DIRECTOR

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP
		STREET 2:		300 HIGHSTREET PO BOX 476
		CITY:			HAMILTON
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45012
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5138674951

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3106 CONDIT
		CITY:			HIGHLAND
		STATE:			IN
		ZIP:			46322
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>april03form4.txt
<DESCRIPTION>APRIL03FORM4
<TEXT>
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   Leep, Bruce E.
   3106 Condit
   Highland, IN 46322
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   First Financial Bancorp (FFBC)
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
   ###-##-####
4. Statement for Month/Day/Year
   04/08/2003
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   (X) Director                   ( ) 10% Owner
   ( ) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other (specify below)
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
<TABLE>
TABLE I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
<CAPTION>
+------------------------------+----------+----------+---------+--------------------------+--------------+-----------+------------+
|1. Title of Security          |2. Trans- |2A.Execu- |3. Trans-|4. Securities Acquired (A)|5. Amount of  |6. Owner-  |7. Nature   |
|                              |   action |   action |   action|   or Disposed of (D)     |Securities    |   ship    |   of In-   |
|                              |   Date   |   Date   |   Code  |                          |Beneficially  |   Form:   |   direct   |
|                              |          |          |         |                          |Owned         |   Direct  |   Bene-    |
|                              |  (Month/ |  (Month/ |         |                          |Following     |   (D) or  |   ficial   |
|                              |   Day/   |   Day/   +-----+---+-----------+---+----------+Reported      |   Indirect|   Owner-   |
|                              |   Year)  |   Year)  |Code |V  |Amount     |A/D|Price     |Transaction(s)|   (I)     |   ship     |
+------------------------------+----------+----------+-----+---+-----------+---+----------+--------------+-----------+------------+
<S>                             <C>        <C>        <C>   <C> <C>         <C> <C>        <C>            <C>         <C>
Common Stock                    04/08/2003 01/09/2003 G         -29215      D   $0.0000    187227         D
Common Stock                    04/08/2003 01/09/2003 G         -29215      D   $0.0000    179512         I           Spouse
Common Stock                                                                               0              I           Restricted
                                                                                                                      Award
Common Stock                                                                               73             I           Joint
                                                                                                                      w/Spouse
FFBC (Directors Fee Stock Plan) 04/08/2003            P         193         A   $16.4725   2269           D
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
TABLE II -- Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
<CAPTION>
+----------+--------+-------+-------+---------+-----------+---------------------+----------------+----------+-------+-------+------+
|1.        |2.      |3.     |3A.    |4.       |5.         |6.                   |7.              |8.        |9.     |10.    |11.   |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |                |          |Number |Owner- |      |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |                |          |of     |ship   |      |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |                |          |Deriv- |Form of|      |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |Title and Amount|          |ative  |Deriv- |      |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |of Underlying   |          |Secur- |ative  |Nature|
|          |Conver- |Trans- |Execu- |         |Number of  |                     |Securities      |          |ities  |Secur- |of    |
|          |sion or |action |tion   |         |Derivative |Date Exercisable     +-------+--------+          |Benefi-|ity:   |In-   |
|          |Exercise|Date   |Date   |         |Securities |and Expiration Date  |       |Amount  |          |cially |Direct |direct|
|          |Price of|       |       |Transac- |Acquired(A)|(Month/Day/Year)     |       |or      |          |Owned  |(D) or |Bene- |
|Title of  |Deriv-  |(Month/|(Month/|tion Code|Disposed(D)+----------+----------+       |Number  |Price of  |       |In-    |ficial|
|Derivative|ative   | Day/  | Day/  +------+--+-----+-----+Date Exer-|Expira-   |       |of      |Derivative|       |direct |Owner-|
|Security  |Security|Year)  |Year)  |Code  |V |(A)  |(D)  |cisable   |tion Date |Title  |Shares  |Security  |       |(I)    |ship  |
+----------+--------+-------+-------+------+--+-----+-----+----------+----------+-------+--------+----------+-------+-------+------+
<S>         <C>      <C>     <C>     <C>    <C><C>   <C>   <C>        <C>        <C>     <C>      <C>        <C>     <C>     <C>
1999 (NQ)   $19.2641                                                  08/24/2009 Common                      8663    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
2001 (NQ)   $15.6                                                     04/24/2011 Common                      8663    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option

Explanation of Responses:
</TABLE>

SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/s/ Terri J. Ziepfel

DATE
04/09/2003

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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