Title
Authorizing the Office of Neighborhood Safety and the Police ASPIRE unit to jointly apply for future federal and state public safety enhancement grants to further their common mission and without needing individual preapproval from City Council of each individual grant application when the grant applied for does not have city grant obligations of providing matching funds, spending requirements, or hiring or retention requirements beyond grant funding periods. (Laid over from September 13, 2023) (To be withdrawn)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul created the Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) pursuant to City Ordinance 22-9; and
WHEREAS, ONS is charged with establishing, coordinating, and advancing group violence prevention, interruption, and reconciliation strategies in order to increase safety and overall well-being for residents; and
WHEREAS, the St. Paul Police Department’s Operation ASPIRE also works to advance group violence prevention through intervention, mentoring, and apprehension when needed; and
WHEREAS, ONS and ASPIRE work collaboratively to reduce violence as part of Project PEACE and intend to jointly apply for future grant funding from federal and state sources to supplement their respective budgets and further their common mission; and
WHEREAS, local government crime prevention departments such as ONS and ASPIRE are frequently eligible for crime prevention grants through multiple federal agencies, including the United States Department of Justice and the United States Office of Justice Programs; and
WHEREAS, local government crime prevention departments such as ONS and ASPIRE are also frequently eligible for crime prevention grants through multiple state agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Public Safety; and
WHEREAS, federal and state level crime prevention grants often have short application deadlines requiring quick action from agencies applying for such grants that can be difficult to meet; and
WHERE...
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