Jacksonville Selected for Department of Justice Model Cities Initiative

**Key Facts** • Jacksonville Sheriff's Office selected as one of four agencies nationwide for DOJ Model Cities Initiative • $300 million total federal investment shared among Jacksonville, East Baton Rouge, Jackson, and St. Louis • Multi-year partnership to expand forensic capabilities, technology, and investigative capacity • Funding announced October 30, 2026, following June application deadline • Jacksonville's specific allocation and implementation timeline not yet disclosed • Attorney General Todd Blanche to visit Jacksonville in November 2026 to present award

## What Happened

The U.S. Department of Justice announced October 30, 2026, that the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is one of only four law enforcement agencies in the nation selected for its new Model Cities Initiative. Jacksonville will share in nearly $300 million in federal funding aimed at strengthening public safety across the city, according to the DOJ Office of Public Affairs press release.

The three other agencies selected are East Baton Rouge Parish in Louisiana, the City of Jackson in Mississippi, and the St. Louis Police Department in Missouri. The Justice Department launched the Model Cities Initiative in June 2026 as a competitive grant program for local governments serving at least 100,000 people. Applications were due September 1, 2026.

According to the JSO press release, the multi-year partnership will expand the agency's ability to support law enforcement partners throughout Northeast Florida. Sheriff T.K. Waters called the selection a tremendous honor and a testament to progress made in public safety. Neither JSO nor the Justice Department has announced Jacksonville's specific dollar allocation from the $300 million pool.

## Background and Context

The Model Cities Initiative builds on earlier Justice Department efforts in cities including Memphis and Washington, D.C., where federal partnerships helped reduce violence and crime. According to the DOJ announcement, the initiative takes a whole-of-city approach to public safety, bringing together law enforcement agencies, local government officials, and community partners to develop comprehensive strategies addressing each community's unique challenges.

Jacksonville has seen changes in violent crime and homicides under Sheriff Waters' leadership, JSO reported. The agency attributed these results to a data-driven approach combining proactive enforcement, intervention, technology, partnerships, and community engagement. Specific crime statistics and year-over-year comparisons were not included in the October 30 announcement.

The federal funding can support a range of priorities, according to the Justice Department. These include hiring sworn and non-sworn law enforcement officers, purchasing or leasing equipment, adopting new technology such as real-time crime centers and license plate readers, enhancing forensic capabilities and capacity, and providing services to address mental health and substance use issues and reduce recidivism.

When the Justice Department launched the program in June 2026, it indicated that two to four cities would be selected. The four jurisdictions chosen submitted applications that the DOJ described as exemplifying innovative, forward-thinking approaches.

## How This Affects Jacksonville Residents

The Model Cities Initiative represents a significant federal investment in Jacksonville public safety infrastructure. According to the Justice Department, the initiative will work alongside federal partners over multiple years to advance proven policing strategies, expand forensic capabilities, deploy new crime-fighting technology, and grow investments already producing results.

Jacksonville residents can expect enhancements to JSO's investigative and technological capabilities as the agency finalizes its implementation plan with the Justice Department. The funding may support expanded victim services, youth crime prevention programs, and efforts to address root causes of crime such as mental health challenges and substance use disorders.

According to Action News Jax, specific investment amounts and project timelines will be announced in coming weeks by JSO in conjunction with the Justice Department. Attorney General Todd Blanche plans to visit all four Model Cities in November 2026 to present the awards.

## What You Can Do

Jacksonville residents who want to stay informed about the Model Cities Initiative can monitor JSO announcements and attend City Council meetings where implementation details may be discussed. Community members with questions about public safety priorities or how the funding will be deployed can contact JSO or their City Council representatives.

Residents can report non-emergency concerns to JSO at 904-630-0500 or call 911 for emergencies. Tips about crime can be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**How much federal funding is Jacksonville receiving?** The Justice Department announced a nearly $300 million total investment shared among four cities. Jacksonville's specific allocation has not been disclosed. JSO and the Justice Department are finalizing the implementation plan, which will detail funding amounts and timelines.

**When will Jacksonville residents see changes from this initiative?** The Model Cities Initiative is a multi-year partnership. Specific timelines have not been announced. Attorney General Todd Blanche plans to visit Jacksonville in November 2026 to present the award. Implementation details should be released following that visit and ongoing planning with the Justice Department.

**What can the federal funding be used for?** According to the Justice Department, funding can support hiring law enforcement officers and staff, purchasing equipment and technology, expanding forensic capacity, and providing services addressing mental health, substance use, and recidivism. The June 2026 program announcement also listed real-time crime centers, body-worn cameras, license plate readers, victim services, and youth crime prevention as eligible uses.

**How was Jacksonville selected?** The Justice Department announced the Model Cities Initiative in June 2026 and accepted applications from local governments serving at least 100,000 people through September 1, 2026. Jacksonville was one of four jurisdictions selected from the applicant pool based on what the DOJ described as innovative, forward-thinking public safety strategies.

## Resources

**Jacksonville Sheriff's Office** • Non-Emergency: 904-630-0500 • Emergency: 911 • Website: jaxsheriff.org **Crime Stoppers** • Tip Line: 1-866-845-TIPS (8477) • Submit tips anonymously online **City of Jacksonville** • 630-CITY (2489) / 311 for city services • Website: coj.net