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Dutchess County Government Receives $3M Grant for Countywide P25 Radio (NY)

Narrowband  |  2024-03-08

The $3 million Interoperable Communications Targeted Grant program of the New York Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services (DHSES) gave an important boost to the ambitious Consolidated Two-Way Radio System Project in Dutchess County last week. The Department of Emergency Response is currently working to facilitate the construction of a new interoperable countywide public-safety radio network that will improve coverage gaps and increase reliability for first responder radio communications. County Executive Sue Serino announced that the $3 million award will help offset the County’s costs in this regard.
The estimated overall cost of the County’s Consolidated Two-Way Radio System Project is $32 million.

In an emergency, seconds count, especially when trying to coordinate help between responding agencies and lives are potentially on the line,” stated County Executive Serino. Our dedication to guaranteeing public safety depends on first responders’ capacity to promptly share emergency information so that agencies can plan an effective response. Due to the hard and intricate effort that our Emergency Response team put into this project, Dutchess County is now leading the state in solving these vital communications issues. We are grateful that Governor Hochul and the DHSES acknowledged our work and offered more funding for this important investment.

The grant will assist in the purchase of a Project 25 (P25) digital radio system, which, once installed, will assist in unifying various agencies into a single emergency radio communications system. This will guarantee efficient, direct communication between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department, the first responders in Dutchess County, and the agencies in neighboring counties. The P25 system will greatly enhance communications coverage throughout the County, boost system resilience, and integrate emerging technologies in addition to enhancing collaboration amongst agencies and disciplines (fire, emergency medical services, and law enforcement).

Emergency communications infrastructure is critical to preventing coverage gaps that could prove fatal in an emergency,” stated Emergency Response Commissioner Dana Smith. When our new radio system is finished, all of the county’s law enforcement, fire, and emergency services will utilize it, which will save money and improve communication between our 9-1-1 center and the other agencies.

Starting in 2022, the County’s radio project involved locating, planning, and erecting 19 more radio tower locations across Dutchess County. Testing is planned for late 2025, and it is anticipated that equipment installation and site building will start later this year.

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Ripon may upgrade radio tower tech for police dispatch (CA)

The City of Ripon is looking to replace the outdated technology necessary to provide dispatch services from the Ripon Police Department.On Tuesday, the Ripon City Council will look to approve and authorize the purchase of radio tower equipment for the Channel 1 update. This item and more will be part of the agenda for the 6 p.m. monthly session inside the Council Chambers, 259 N. Wilma Ave.
The Ripon Communications Center, along with Ripon police, handles dispatch services for both the Escalon Police Department and the Lathrop Police Department. While Ripon and Escalon shared Channel 1 for radio communications – the outdated T-1 point-to-point link – Lathrop was monitored on a separate channel. “Based on this set up, the Ripon Communications Center was monitoring two radio channels,” the staff report. To further complicate matters, the T-1 connection between Ripon and Escalon was permanently disconnected by the provider, TPx Communications, which was moving away from the outdated technologies. Ripon police, unaware of that until two weeks prior to the disconnection, still needed to provide 911 emergency services, with no possibility of an extension from TPx Communications. La Rue Communications stepped in to provide an additional channel in the Ripon Communication Center – Ripon, Escalon, and Lathrop communications were now on separate channels. In September, La Rue Communications installed a converting analog to digital device, with hopes that Ripon and Escalon could go back to sharing Channel 1.
That device, local police noted, proved to be unreliable, randomly shutting down at various times while causing public safety issue due to not being able to communicate with Escalon. La Rue Communications recommended the replacement / upgrade of equipment for the Ripon Communications Center’s radio Channel 1, with the cost not to exceed $119,304 – paid via the General Department Capital Fund. The Escalon Police Department, in addition, will reimburse the City of Ripon for 50 percent of the cost ($7,531) for the Zetron hardware and software coupled with the cost of labor for the installation.

Door County Getting $3.9 million for Communications Project Upgrade (WI)

Door County Emergency Services photo.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) announced this week that the County of Door would receive $3.9 million for the upgrade of its public safety radio system that assures all peninsula residents and visitors can contact emergency personnel when they need them. 

The county is in the beginning stages of a full-system upgrade to its communication infrastructure that consists of 12 towers (four county-owned and eight co-located). The new upgrade will add eight towers (two co-locations and six new builds) to get appropriate coverage percentages per municipality, according to a Feb. 7 memo from Ashley DeGrave, Door County technology services project manager. 

The project will be broken into three phases: land acquisition/site testing; civil/shelter/site work and tower construction; and FCC licensing acquisition and tower/radio equipment purchasing and implementation.

The total project cost for all three phases is estimated at $25,609,680.08. The county’s last full-system update was in 2013. 

“Wisconsinites deserve to be safe in their communities, and I am proud to have secured nearly $4 million to help Door County update its public safety radio system – making it easier for public safety leaders to communicate, respond to emergencies, and protect our neighbors,” Baldwin said in a statement. 

In total, Baldwin secured $211 million for projects in Wisconsin in the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 government funding package, seven of those, including Door County’s, in Northeast Wisconsin.

Backup system failure during construction affected Monroe County 911 calls Saturday morning (NY)

MONROE COUNTY, N.Y. — 911 calls in Monroe County were impacted for a little over half an hour Saturday morning due to the failure of a backup system during construction at the Route 390/Scottsville Road interchange.Normal 911 functions had been restored as of 3 p.m., the county reported Saturday afternoon.The county reported that at about 7:05 a.m., a Frontier Network redundant system failed to engage during a planned fiber cable disconnect for the construction. The Frontier re-route switch for the 911 calls should have activated once the disconnect happened, but it did not — and callers may have received a fast-busy signal from 7:05 to 7:40 a.m.At 7:40 a.m., all 911 calls in Monroe County, including the city of Rochester, were re-routed to the 911 center in Livingston County and are now being handled by Ontario County. they transfer those calls to the Rochester/Monroe County Emergency Communications Center for dispatch. According to the county, calls can take a few minutes to be routed through this extra step, so callers were encouraged to stay on the line. According to the county, dispatch systems to emergency services were not impacted.Crews from the county’s Department of Environmental Services worked with Frontier Communications to re-route the fiber circuit to re-establish the connection to the 911 Center. They also were both working with the county’s Information Services department to reestablish the backup network path.
For Related Stories: 911 technology  Frontier  Environmental Services  Monroe County

Durham’s 911 center looks to partner with Fayetteville: ‘Very similar’ (NC)

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — When there’s an emergency in Durham, the city’s 911 center is typically the first to know, but if something were to happen to the communications center located on Main Street, officials need an official backup.”We want to make sure that when that caller is dialing 911 and they need resources, that there’s someone there,” Durham Emergency Communications Center Director Randy Beeman said.The City of Durham is required to have an official alternate routing partner for 911 calls, according to the NC 911 Board.Beeman said the center has had an informal emergency backup relationship with the Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications Center, but the City of Fayetteville is the best match for a formal partnership.”The City of Fayetteville is naturally similar in size as we are,” he said. “Also from a radio operational standpoint, we have a great opportunity here with working with similar radio systems … we also have the same (CAD software). So, therefore, managing calls, taking the calls, processing the calls are very similar.”There is no financial cost or impact to executing an interlocal agreement, according to Beeman.He clarified to the City Council on Thursday that the need for a backup wasn’t because of a staffing issue.”It is for when our center is incapacitated,” Beeman said, meaning they cannot receive calls nor can they dispatch. “Those are those rare circumstances. Staffing wise, we continue to move forward in our staffing.”The City Council decided to revisit the item at the next council meeting.Copyright © 2024 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.

City of Statesville accepting applications for 2024 Public Safety Academy (NC)

Pictured (from left) are Police Chief David Onley and Fire Chief Glenn Kurfees.
Special to Iredell Free News
The City of Statesville is accepting applications for the 2024 Public Safety Academy.
This is the first time the Statesville Police Department and Statesville Fire Department have joined forces to offer this comprehensive program, which builds upon the success of the previous Police Academy.
The academy is set to begin on April 11 and run through June 9, concluding with a graduation ceremony. Sessions will be held every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at different locations with SPD and SFD staff taking turns leading each class.
Designed to deepen community understanding of public safety services provided by the City of Statesville, the academy also offers participants the opportunity to provide valuable feedback, contributing to ongoing efforts to enhance service delivery to the community.
The inaugural academy is limited to 25 participants. Organizers encourage those who interested in participating to turn their applications in early.
Police-related topics include administration, patrol, recruiting and training, communications, crime analysis/mapping, community services, School Resource Officers, traffic, criminal investigations, evidence, violent crimes, Special Response Team (SRT), K-9, Crime Reduction Team, drone and camera technology.
Fire-related topics include administration, operations and training, code enforcement, fire investigations, fire education and life safety, CPR/AED hands-on training and information, live fire and extinguisher training, hazmat operations, drone operations, fire rescue (ropes, extrication, confined space), ladder operations, airport rescue firefighting, other specialized fire response demonstrations.
Applicants must meet specific criteria to be eligible for the academy, including being 18 years of age prior to the first meeting, agreeing to sign a waiver, residing in Iredell County (with preference given to residents of Statesville), and undergoing a criminal history background check.
This inaugural program promises to provide invaluable insights into the vital work of the SPD and SFD, while also opening doors for participants to explore potential career paths.
Applications can be obtained from the City of Statesville website – www.statesvillenc.net — or by contacting the Police Department (704-878-3442) or Fire Department (704-832-3878). Applications must be received by April 5 for consideration.

Lincoln first city in Nebraska to partner 911 services with 988 mental health lifeline

Alex Vargas

Lincoln Mayor Leiron Gaylor Baird on Thursday announced a new partnership between the Lincoln Emergency Communications Center and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.Lincoln becomes the first city in Nebraska to partner 911 services with 988’s mental health services, which Gaylor Baird said will boost the number of mental health calls serviced.”The 911/988 partnership enables our 911 emergency dispatchers to connect people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress to the 988 lifeline, to trained mental health professionals and resources,” she said.Calls received by 911 dispatchers that are deemed mental health crises will be transferred to trained professionals with 988.Nebraska’s 988 number had a soft launch in July 2022 and since then, the call center located in Boys Town has received more than 42,000 calls, chats and texts from people experiencing crises caused by mental and behavioral issues, substance use or suicidal thoughts, said program manager Kyle Kinney.

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The organization’s goal is to provide the correct services at the right time, allowing police and other emergency services to respond to other calls.”Since implementation, 97% of calls to 988 Nebraska were able to successfully de-escalate the situation,” Kinney said.When someone communicates with 988, they speak with counselors who help people find resources and follow up to ensure their needs are being met.Lincoln Emergency Communication Center manager Jessica Loos said the center is eager to begin working with 988 to help identify calls that may be better handled through the new partnership.In the last six months, the communication center has answered just under 6,000 calls from people experiencing a mental health crisis.”Each of those times, we were limited to sending a law enforcement officer when officers were available to respond,” Loos said. “Most of these calls were ones in which the expertise of a crisis counselor would be more effective in addressing the callers’ needs.”Research shows that when officers make contact during a mental health crisis, the chances of a situation escalating increase, as does the likelihood of someone ending up in jail.Certain circumstances may still result in officers being called to a scene of a mental health crisis. For example, if someone is threatening to not only harm themselves but also others, police will be called.The number of calls to 988 is expected to increase, with 911 calls in Lincoln being connected quickly to the service line. According to Kinney, the average wait time is under 10 seconds.If the call volume becomes too great for the current staff at 988, the organization will look to hire to fill the necessary gaps.The Department of Health and Human Services funds 988 Nebraska and will work with the organization to maintain a satisfactory service level if additional funding for staffing becomes necessary.Staffing has steadily increased since the beginning of the program, Kinney said.Gaylor Baird touted Lincoln’s continued dedication to increase public safety.”We are so pleased to be piloting this program here in Lincoln as we work to become the safest and healthiest capital city in the country,” Gaylor Baird said.
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Top Journal Star photos for March 2024

Northwest High School seniors Feryal Akpo-Idrissou (left) and Madeline Smith register to vote on Monday.

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star

Nebraska’s C.J. Wilcher (0) waits for the team lineups to be announced before the game against Rutgers on Sunday, March 3, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KATY COWELL Journal Star

Overton celebrates after defeating Wynot in the Class D-2 state championship game Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Overton coach Janessa Bergman (left) reacts with the Eagles’ bench during the Class D-2 state championship game against Wynot on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Millard West’s Taylor Hansen (21) and Kylee Paben (42) guard Bellevue West’s Ahnica Russell Brown (0) as she attempts to score in the paint in the second half during the Class A girls state tournament championship game, Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Millard West players dogpile at center court after defeating Bellevue West to win the Class A girls state tournament championship game, Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Tyson McCall, 7, (right) is lifted up by his father Keenan as they cheer on Yutan in the Class C-2 girls state tournament championship game, Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Yutan’s Jade Lewis (4) celebrates during the Class C-2 girls state tournament championship game against Crofton, Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KATY COWELL Journal Star

Crofton’s Ellie Tramps drives the ball down court on a breakaway in the first half during the Class C-2 girls state tournament championship game, Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Lincoln Christian celebrates winning the Class C-1 state championship against Sidney on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KATY COWELL, Journal Star

Pender celebrates winning the Class D-1 girls state tournament championship game over Southern Valley, Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Pender won 39-25.

KATY COWELL Journal Star

Lincoln Southwest senior Trent Buda dresses up as Where’s Waldo during a Class A girls state tournament semifinal game against Bellevue West on Friday, March 1, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KATY COWELL Journal Star

Nebraska’s Caitlin Olensky pitches against Wichita State, Friday, March 1, 2024, at Bowlin Stadium.

JUSTIN WAN Journal Star

Beatrice’s Anna Gleason hugs Kiley Hatcliff while Callie Schwisow and Kiera Busboom (from left) embrace as they console one another following a close loss to Elkhorn North in a Class B girls state tournament semifinal game Friday, March 1, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Yutan’s Emilia Tederman (bottom left) competes for the ball with Bishop Neumann’s Caitlin McGuigan (top left) and Adalin Bosak during a Class C-2 girls state tournament semifinal game, Friday, March 1, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center.

JUSTIN WAN Journal Star

Using an in camera double exposure Omaha Skutt players Peyton McCabe (10) and Kamryn Kasner (34) are framed by a cheerleaders pom pom as they block a shot by Gretna East’s Karli Williams (5) in the first half during a Class B girls state tournament semifinal game Friday, March 1, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Sidney’s Payton Schrotberger (3) leads the charge as she and her teammates Ryan Dillehay (21) and Karsyn Leeling (0) rush to celebrate with their team after their win over Grand Island Central Catholic in a Class C-1 girls state tournament semifinal game Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

The Sidney bench and head coach Tyler Shaw (center) celebrate after Ryan Dillehay (not pictured) scored a go-ahead basket against Grand Island CC in the second half during a Class C-1 girls state tournament semifinal game Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

Lincoln Christian’s Kenadee Ailes (30) swats away a layup attempt by Bridgeport’s Tracey From (4) while her teammate Jessa Hueser (1) guards the lane in the first half during a Class C-1 girls state tournament semifinal game Friday, March 1, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

Beatrice’s Kiley Hatcliff (21) and Addison Hatcliff (10) celebrate winning a Class B first-round girls state tournament game over Norris on Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KATY COWELL, Journal Star

Lincoln North Star’s Sarah Gatwetch (right) celebrates with her teammates after placing their name on a bracket to advance to the semifinals following their win over Millard North in a Class A first-round girls state basketball tournament game Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star

The Omaha Central student section read their student newspaper while Millard West is introduced ahead of a Class A first-round girls state tournament game on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star

An array of ciders from Saro Cider — Joy Harvest with Arbor Day Farm (from left), grapefruit, cranberry spice, and a non-alcoholic raspberry Bellini — is shown with a pesto parmesan flatbread.

JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star

Bishop Neumann junior Anthony Kavan (left) plays a card game with sophomore Dominic Benes as the basketball team palys Cross County during a Class C-2 first-round girls state tournament game, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center.

JUSTIN WAN Journal Star

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Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or avargas@journalstar.com.On Twitter @Alex_Vargas1994

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First Look: The CAD to CAD Translator | Police Magazine

CentralSquare’s Unify software works with any CAD system and allows communicators to see assets from other jurisdictions and agencies and with permission send them to emergencies.CentralSquare TechnologiesInteroperability has long been a buzzword in the law enforcement and other public safety professions. Usually, the term applies to interagency radio or police and fire communications, but it can also apply to other communications tools.Since 2008, CentralSquare has been developing and implementing an interoperability technology that allows 911 call centers to share computer-aided dispatch (CAD) information. Last year, this CAD to CAD software product was rebranded as Unify.CentralSquare’s Unify works with any CAD system and allows emergency call center personnel to see assets from other agencies in the area. This means that with permission through a mutual aid agreement a dispatcher can send a unit from another agency, county, or city to an emergency right from their own CAD because it is closer to the people in need or because it possesses capabilities that are currently not available in their jurisdiction.Unify allows agencies to build cooperative CAD networks in the same geographic region and among different call centers. “At some point an emergency call center needs to talk to somebody outside your zone, and they’re going to be on a different CAD systems, or could be,” says Scott Panacek, product manager for CentralSquare. “So that’s where Unify comes in; it provides a standard way to communicate.”Panacek likens CentralSquare’s vendor agnostic Unify technology to a language translator. “Let’s say you had three law enforcement officers collaborating on the same incident. But one spoke English, one spoke Spanish, and one spoke Portuguese. They would need a translator. So that’s kind of what the Unify system does for different CAD systems. It allows CAD functions like dispatching units to happen from CAD vendor to CAD vendor.” Panacek stresses that none of the participants has to be using CentralSquare’s CAD in order to build a CAD to CAD network with Unify. They do, however, all have to have a subscription to Unify.What makes Unify capable of communicating across so many different CAD systems from different CAD vendors is CentralSquare’s open application programming interface (API), according to Panacek.“We’ve got open API that we provide to any CAD vendor, and it exposes the commands and rules that their system need to communicate with another agency’s system,” he explains. “There’s a data map that they can copy their data and their codes into. So everything maps to something common in the middle.”When using Unify, an emergency communicator can see all of the CAD-visible assets from the participating agencies. With permission from the owners of the assets, the communicator can dispatch them to incidents in another response area or jurisdiction.Panacek says the responding units are dispatched via their agencies existing mobile system . For the emergency communications personnel, using Unify does not change their procedures or what they see on the screen. The only difference is that it adds commands for mutual aid.The primary benefit of Unify for the public, for emergency responders, and for 911 centers is that it saves time. Cross-jurisdiction dispatch of public safety assets can literally save lives by facilitating faster response. For emergency responders it can reduce travel time, making it easier for agencies with personnel shortages to answer more calls.Emergency communications centers are also experiencing personnel shortages, and Unify can also help them save time. “They don’t have to hunt around searching for the proper person to call and spend time on the phone asking for assistance,” Panacek says.Unify can also let an overwhelmed communications center ask for help from another in their CAD-to-CAD network. “If they’re linked together, one communications center can pick up the call and get the units on the way for the other center,” Panacek says.Unify CAD to CAD is available now.    

ARPA 3-Year Anniversary: Public Safety and Justice – National League of Cities

Both during and in the recovery from the pandemic, cities, towns and villages across the country recognized the need to invest locally in efforts to advance public safety and justice. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides a variety of options for municipalities to invest in their local safety and justice ecosystems through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) program. Those working on the front lines every day face a unique set of challenges that require specific and strategic investments. Investing in needs like equipment, training, mental health support, pilot programs, data infrastructure and more can make a difference in the ability to keep residents safe and supported.

NLC research has shown that within the Public Safety spending group identified in the Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker, cities and consolidated city counties have obligated:

46% of Public Safety funds to Other Public Safety

Examples: Purchasing ambulances and investing in equipment to reduce backlogs for medical examiner offices. etc.

32% of Public Safety funds to Police Departments

Examples: Purchasing rapid DNA testing equipment to exonerate those that are accused of crimes and funding for micro-grants in communities experiencing high crime.

14% of Public Safety funds to Violence Reduction and Prevention

Examples: Expanding mobile crisis response, expanding wraparound services for domestic violence survivors and group violence reduction strategy.

8% of Public Safety funds to Fire Departments

Examples: Hiring and training of fire department staff, purchasing equipment including pumper trucks, aerials, rescue units, and air packs.

This blog highlights spending ideas for how to meet the 2024 obligations deadline; however, be sure to review Treasury’s Final Rule for compliance and reporting guidance.

Spending Opportunities The spending opportunities in the table below include public health spending examples from municipalities of varying sizes with different categories of spending (low, medium, and high cost) to obligate remaining funds.  The Public Safety spending category was developed in partnership with NLC, Brookings Metro, and the National Association of Counties for the Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker. This resource is another means for local leaders to find thousands of project ideas across tiers.  

Local Opportunities for Further Investment

Regardless of locality size and available funding, there are multiple ways to advance safety and justice initiatives through ARPA. Opportunities and examples for utilizing unspent funds include:

1: Develop, Implement or Enhance a Comprehensive Safety/Violence Prevention Plan

Over the last year, cities have seen decreases in some crimes through investment in comprehensive and collaborative approaches. Through city structures like offices of neighborhood safety or violence prevention, these approaches allow for interventions like: Hospital-Based Violence Intervention, Group Violence Reduction Strategies, Community/Crisis Response models and more.

The City of Baltimore utilized ARPA funding to grow the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement (MONSE) and pilot innovative community safety initiatives. 

“This is a historic investment for Baltimore as these dollars will support approaches that confront and prevent the violence occurring on the streets today,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “With the launch of our Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) and the future expansion of our evidence-based community violence intervention (CVI) programming, we remain intentional and steadfast in our commitment to make Baltimore a safer city for all. It is critically important that we build public safety with, not for, our residents.” Baltimore GVRS decreased shootings without increasing arrests in the city’s western district between 2022 and 2023.

2: Engage Community in Conversations and Decision-Making Dialogues

As localities work to improve local safety, it is important to authentically engage with residents about those plans which requires funding for things like food, childcare, transportation and where possible, stipends for participation. Additionally, developing and implementing a community engagement and communications strategy around safety and justice- is critical for city leaders, – particularly when focused on engaging with youth, young adults and those most impacted by violence/crime.

3: Provide Resources for Safe Storage

Either through education campaigns or the provision of safe storage locks, cities can create opportunities for residents to safely store firearms and prevent injury. Recently, the White House announced new executive actions to support similar initiatives.

SLFRF spending examples include:          New Orleans, LA – $20,250 for a gun safety campaign aimed at promoting safe storage practices for gun owners.

Upper Darby, PA – $50,000 to purchase and provide resident gun owners with gun locks for safer use.

4: Invest in Safety/Justice Workforce 

Through mental health support, training opportunities, supplies and equipment, incentives and more, municipalities can invest in the traditional and reimagined safety/justice workforce via ARPA investments. For instance, local governments can upgrade or enhance fire and/or emergency response equipment (such as vehicles, communication systems, etc.). Alternatively, using ARPA funds to implement policies/practices that recruit and retain emergency responders and law enforcement could strengthen a municipality’s public safety response. Finally, supporting worker healing and wellbeing will strengthen the capacity of the public safety workforce, especially for violence intervention workers facing trauma or burnout.

SLFRF spending examples include:

City of Fresno, CA – $4,608,200 for Police Department personnel retention through labor contract negotiations and additional resources for sworn personnel costs.

5: Create Opportunities for Youth, Young Adults, Victims & Returning Citizens

By investing in those most impacted by crime and violence, cities can create stronger support and opportunities that lead to safer communities. Examples include assessment centers, sobering centers, transitional housing for impacted populations, workforce development programs, victim’s compensation and more.

SLFRF spending examples of Summer Youth Employment Program investments include:City of New York, New York SYEP – $7,998,296 to create a Summer Youth Employment Program for over 4,000 City University of New York (CUNY) students, targeting those living in NYCHA public housing and who were most impacted by COVID-19.

City of Detroit, MI – $14,250,000 to establish an SYEP providing youth with career-oriented information, training, and experience to improve the employment pipeline and connect young people to permanent, high-paying positions.

SLFRF spending examples of Victim’s Compensation investments include:

Chicago, IL – $10,000,000 to provide services and support to victims of violent crime and their families.

6: Enhance or Support Local Safety/Justice Data/ and Technology

Technological investments can promote local safety. Municipalities can start collecting data and coordinating systems to inform their comprehensive safety plans and create public safety dashboards, like Baltimore’s Public Safety Accountability Dashboard. By tracking key public safety metrics and mapping community violence interventions, municipalities can effectively communicate crime and safety data while setting the stage for greater and sustainable funding for violence prevention efforts.

Investing in Safer Communities Beyond ARPA

ARPA and the SLFRF program provided municipalities the opportunity to invest in and support local safety and justice efforts. While these investments are critical, it is important that local leaders keep sustainability and longevity at the forefront. To sustain and grow the efforts that show promise via SLFRF investments, localities should consider where there are opportunities within their budget, through philanthropic investments and via federal grants.

Potential opportunities for additional federal support include:

Glossary

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is the $1.9 trillion economic stimulus and pandemic recovery legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021. This blog and its series focus on the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program; therefore, authors may use “ARPA” and “SLFRF” interchangeably. 

Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) is the $350 billion program authorized by ARPA that provides economic stimulus and pandemic recovery funding to U.S. states, territories, cities, counties, and tribal governments.

Allocations are the total funds distributed to state and local governments through SLFRF. 

Adopted Budget are dollars distributed to local governments through SLFRF that have been budgeted or committed to specific initiatives or programs.

Spent means the grantee has issued checks, disbursed cash, or made electronic transfers to liquidate (or settle) an obligation.

Obligations are dollars distributed to state and local governments through SLFRF that have been legally dedicated to specific uses, frequently (but not exclusively) through contractual agreements. The Treasury’s recent guidance defines obligations as “orders placed for property and services and entry into contracts, subawards, and similar transactions that require payment.” The Final Rule requires recipient local governments to obligate 100 percent of their SLFRF allocations by December 2024.  

Tier 1 local governments are metropolitan cities and counties with populations greater than 250,000. These jurisdictions include states, U.S. territories, and counties but NLC’s focus for this series is on cities. These governments are required to report quarterly, and the last reporting date captured in our data is from September 30, 2023.

Tier 2 local governments are metropolitan cities with a population below 250,000 residents that are allocated more than $10 million in SLFRF funding, and NEUs that are allocated more than $10 million in SLFRF funding. These jurisdictions include counties but NLC’s focus for this series is on cities. These governments are required to report quarterly, and the last reporting date captured in our data is from September 30, 2023.

Tier 5 local governments are metropolitan cities with a population below 250,000 residents that are allocated less than $10 million in SLFRF funding, and NEUs that are allocated less than $10 million in SLFRF funding. These jurisdictions include counties but NLC’s focus for this series is on cities. These governments are required to report yearly, and the last reporting date captured in our data is from April 31, 2023. Non-entitlement units (NEUs) are local governments that typically serve 50,000 residents or less. Of the $65.1 billion allocated to municipal governments across the country, SLFRF allocated $19.5 billion, or 30 percent, to NEUs. Comparatively, SLFRF allocated $45.6 billion, or 70 percent, to metropolitan cities. Depending on if an NEU is a Tier 2 or Tier 5 recipient, they may have different reporting requirements.

The authors would also like to acknowledge Maryam Ahmed and Tony McCright for their support in writing this blog. Thank you to Christy Baker-Smith, Julia Bauer, Irma Esparza Diggs, Josh Franzel, Patrick Rochford, Archana Sridhar, and Melissa Williams for their review of this blog.

About the Authors

About the Authors

Yucel (u-jel) Ors is the Director of Public Safety and Crime Prevention at the National League of Cities.

Kirby Gaherty is the Program Director for Justice Initiatives at the National League of Cities.

Ian Grice is the Justice Initiatives Data Program Specialist at the National League of Cities.

Sarah Minster is a Research Specialist with the Research & Data Analysis Center.

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