St. Louis to Receive $68 Million Federal Award for Public Safety Efforts
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis will receive $68 million through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Model Cities Initiative to support local law enforcement and public-safety programs, according to an announcement from U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt’s office.
Schmitt, a Missouri Republican, joined Attorney General Todd Blanche in St. Louis to announce the award. His office said Schmitt advocated for the city’s selection and worked with local officials and Justice Department leaders during the application process.
The funding is intended to help St. Louis reduce violent crime, improve emergency response and strengthen partnerships addressing factors that contribute to crime. The Justice Department selected four cities for the initiative: St. Louis, Jackson, Mississippi; Jacksonville, Florida; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Planned investments include police recruitment, officer compensation and wellness, and improvements to police academy facilities. The award is also expected to support upgrades to the city’s Real-Time Crime Center, radio communications and emergency-response drones.
Other proposed purchases and programs include replacing police vehicles, providing ballistic shields for patrol cars and creating a citizen reporting portal. The plan also includes a law-enforcement-led homeless outreach program, additional social workers and victim advocates, and partnerships focused on crisis intervention, treatment and housing assistance.
Schmitt said the award would support law enforcement and could provide an example for other cities. Blanche said the initiative is intended to help local jurisdictions strengthen public safety.
The announcement also cited federal law-enforcement efforts in St. Louis, including a permanent increase in FBI personnel and operations identified as Show Me Justice and Viper. Schmitt’s office said those operations resulted in more than 500 arrests.
