WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced a new Model Cities Initiative that will direct nearly $300 million in federal funding to selected cities for public safety programs.
The initiative will award funding to two to four cities to support strategies aimed at reducing crime, strengthening law enforcement operations and improving public safety. Applications are due Sept. 1, and the department expects to make initial award decisions in late 2026, according to the announcement.
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“This administration is leveraging every authority to ensure the safety of all Americans,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Model Cities Initiative will supercharge our law enforcement partners and restore the rule of law to America’s neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Our message is clear: We will help those who help us Make America Safe Again.”
Eligible applicants include local government entities serving populations of at least 100,000. Cities must apply through a coordinated approach involving local leaders such as mayors, sheriffs, prosecutors and other officials.
Funding may be used for law enforcement hiring and retention, crime-fighting technology, training, facility costs, behavioral health services, reentry programs, victim services and youth crime prevention efforts. Allowable technology purchases include real-time crime centers, forensic tools, body-worn cameras, license plate readers, artificial intelligence systems, drones and ballistic identification systems.
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