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Lawrence committee approves police grant expenditures including Project Safe Neighborhood and SHINE grant
Summary
The Budget and Finance Committee voted Jan. 29 to forward a package of police grants to the full council, including Project Safe Neighborhoods funds, a SHINE community programming award, a JAG allocation to offset a cruiser purchase, and a $5,000 outreach mini-grant.
The Lawrence City Budget and Finance Committee on Jan. 29 voted to forward multiple police-department grant items to the full City Council with favorable recommendations. The items included a $30,000 Project Safe Neighborhoods authorization, a $299,866.91 SHINE (Executive Office of Public Safety and Security) award for community programming, a $37,490 Edward Byrne/JAG allocation toward a marked cruiser, and a $5,000 mini-grant to buy warming supplies for people experiencing homelessness.
Director Rosa Shepherd, director of support services for the Lawrence Police Department, told the committee that the Project Safe Neighborhoods invitation from Massachusetts State Police would focus resources on "gangs, violence, illegal firearms, and narcotics" and that the funds would primarily pay overtime for street narcotics enforcement and related activities.
The department also reported that the SHINE grant will fund partnerships with local groups including the YWCA, Lawrence Family Development, Boys & Girls Club and youth programs such as open gyms and a Junior Police Academy. Shepherd said, "As of today, it's $30,000 per partner, and the police department will get $6,000 plus the overtime that is dedicated for them." Sergeant and program staff described the Junior Police Academy as a free two-week summer program that provides uniforms, backpacks and basic certifications to participants; the police department said more than 80 cadets have graduated from recent academies.
The committee asked for an itemized budget for the Project Safe Neighborhoods grant to clarify the balance between overtime payments and programmatic costs. For the JAG award, the department said the $37,490 would help offset the cost of a fully equipped cruiser; the department will fund the remaining vehicle cost.
A $5,000 mini-grant from a county outreach program will be used to buy gloves, hats, coats and blankets for outreach events and to strengthen trust between officers and people experiencing homelessness, the department said. Lieutenant and outreach staff described the outreach model as building trust through distribution of essentials and referrals to services.
All four grant items were moved to the full council with favorable recommendations by voice votes during the meeting.
