Approval to execute the letter from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to accept $70,000 in grant funding (no match required) made available through the Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhood Grant Program.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program is designed to create and foster safer neighborhoods by funding efforts to address criminal gangs and felonious possession and use of firearms. The success of the program requires coordination, cooperation, and partnership between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies.

The US Attorney’s Office (USAO) Southern District of Florida has identified the following Targeted Enforcement Areas (TEAs) for the Federal Fiscal Year 2019 funding to reduce short-term and long-term rates of homicide and other serious violent crimes, including aggravated assaults, robberies, and firearm offenses. Those areas are:

• City of Lake Worth;
• City of Pompano Beach;
• City of Miami Gardens;
• City of Miami;
• South-end of Miami-Dade County; and
• City of Fort Pierce

The Department has $70,000 made available to be utilized by targeted officers for assistance with expenses to help the Department to maximize crime reduction efforts. The acceptance requires signatures by Chief Diane Hobley-Burney and Mayor Linda Hudson.  The City of Fort Pierce Legal Department staff has reviewed and approved the Certificate of Acceptance as to form and correctness.
 

Staff recommends that the City accept funds made available through this funding opportunity.

The City may choose to decline funding.

Chief Diane Hobley-Burney, Chief of the Fort Pierce Police Department.
Anita Cocoves, Grant Manager

Johnna Morris, Finance Director