Title
Authorizing the City Attorney's Office to apply for the 2026 Crime Victim Services 12-Month Renewal Grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs for prosecutor-based crime victim services in Ramsey County.
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WHEREAS, the City Attorney's Office would like to apply to the 2026 Crime Victim Services 12-Month Renewal Grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs (OJP), which; provides funding to support the City's prosecutor-based crime victim services in Ramsey County; and
WHEREAS, $137,767 of the $139,767 in grant funds for which the City Attorney's Office is eligible comes from the US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime - Crime Victim Assistance formula award; and
WHEREAS, the application certification and contract language have been reviewed and have not identified any new federal requirements; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney’s Offices’ current OJP Crime Victim Services grant is for the period of October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, and the deadline for applications under this new request for proposals is June 4, 2025, and
WHEREAS, the Office of Justice Programs goals include ensuring crime victims’ rights are upheld, increasing victims’ safety, and ensuring that victims’ services are relevant to the population that exists within the community, and
WHEREAS, the St. Paul City Attorney’s Office is eligible to apply for approximately $139,767 to provide crime victim services during the 12-month period of October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, and
WHEREAS, the St. Paul City Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division relies heavily on the work of our Victim Witness Coordinator and Victim Witness Assistant to provide services to crime victims, uphold statutory mandates in Minn. Stat. 611A (Crime Victims’ Rights), and to ensure that victims from underserved communities are able to access these services, and
WHEREAS, we recognize that crime victim services offered by the City Attorney’s Office benefit the citizens of the City of St. Paul, and
WHEREAS, the St. Paul City Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division wishes to pursue the available funding opportunity and the grant application in an effort to retain one current Victim Witness Coordinator position (1.0 FTE) and one Victim Outreach Assistant position (1.0 FTE),
WHEREAS, the Grants Division of the Office of Financial Services has reviewed and approved the Intent to Apply request; and
WHEREAS, the City certifies that it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations as stated in the grant agreement; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council authorize the City Attorney's Office to apply for the 2026 Crime Victim Services 12-Month Renewal Grant.