Staff recommends that City Council accept the 2027 Domestic Violence Grant in the amount of $71,164 and authorize the Chief to sign all required grant material.  

The Montana Board of Crime Control Application Review Committee has recommended the Billings Police Department be awarded a $71,164 Domestic Violence Grant for 2027 to support the Department’s long-standing Domestic Violence Investigator program. The grant provides funding for overtime, specialized training, software, cellular service, forensic examinations, and other supplies necessary to support the investigation of domestic violence cases. Acceptance of the grant will provide continued funding for specialized investigative resources and training to enhance the Department’s response to domestic violence.

The Billings Police Department has been recommended to be awarded a sub-grant to support domestic violence training and continuation of the Domestic Violence Investigator program, which has been in place for 26 years. The total grant award is $71,164.

Grant funds will support overtime, specialized training, software, cellular service, strangulation examinations, and other supplies and resources associated with the investigation of domestic violence cases.

As part of the grant-funded training, the Department’s Domestic Violence Investigators, along with a prosecutor and victim-witness specialist, plan to attend a national conference focused on domestic violence. Participation in specialized training and professional development helps ensure personnel remain current on investigative techniques, emerging issues, and best practices related to domestic violence cases.

The grant also provides resources for overtime and other investigative needs, allowing the Department to maintain specialized expertise and provide additional support for domestic violence investigations.

The Billings Police Department currently has two officers assigned as Domestic Violence Investigators. Grant funds will provide additional financial support for overtime, specialized training, software, cellular service, forensic examinations, and other related supplies.

Acceptance of the grant will allow the Department to use grant funding for these activities and reduce the need to rely on existing departmental resources for eligible expenses.

N/A

City Council may:

• Approve and accept the 2027 Domestic Violence Grant in the amount of $71,164 and authorize the Chief of Police to sign all required grant documents; or,
• Not Approve the Domestic Violence Grant Award in the Amount of $71,164, which would reduce specialized warrant roundups and overtime work for police officers investigating these crimes.