Sheriff's office wins state and federal grants for Memphis SAFE task force and VCIF initiatives

In two add-ons the sheriff's office won committee approval to accept federal and state grants to support the Memphis SAFE Task Force and other violent-crime interventions.

A $268,973 award from the U.S. Marshals Service was presented as overtime reimbursement tied to the task force. Alicia Lindsey, the sheriff's administration chief, said the office was tracking about 2,888 hours of overtime and expected additional small grants. "These funds are directly related to the partnership that Shelby County Sheriff's Office has with the U.S. Marshals Services... primarily to reimburse us for overtime," Lindsey said.

Separately, a VCIF ZIP grant from the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration was described as a $4,167,691 award to implement evidence-based violent-crime intervention programs: hiring and training specialized investigative units, acquiring technology, partnerships with community organizations, and jail-based/downtown safety initiatives. Lindsey said the sheriff's office would administer jail-based parts of the state program and requested full-Board approval for appropriation; the committee recorded a favorable recommendation with one shift/abstention noted in the clerk's tally.

Why it matters: Combined, the awards fill operating needs tied to ongoing public-safety initiatives and, in the VCIF case, represent a multi-million-dollar state investment in evidence-based interventions for violent crime in Shelby County.

What comes next: The grants will be presented for full-Board appropriation; the sheriff's office said it is tracking grant-related expenses and will provide documentation on overtime and program use.