Four U.S. cities have been chosen to divide nearly $300 million in federal funding through a new Justice Department competition aimed at reducing violent crime. Jacksonville, Florida; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; and St. Louis, Missouri, won awards under the Model Cities Initiative, according to details obtained by Fox News Digital.
Attorney General Todd Blanche and other department leaders are scheduled to visit the four jurisdictions during the 10 days following the October 30 announcement. Officials will present the awards and disclose each jurisdiction's allocation during those visits. The competition began in June as part of President Donald Trump's effort to reduce urban crime, with cities nationwide invited to submit comprehensive public safety proposals.
The initiative supports strategies developed jointly by police, local officials and community organizations. Funding can cover sworn officers, civilian law enforcement employees and other public safety staff, along with equipment, technology and expanded forensic work. Programs addressing mental health, substance abuse and recidivism are also eligible. Blanche described the initiative as an investment in local communities intended to strengthen public safety.
The grants could provide substantial support relative to existing police budgets. Jacksonville allocates roughly $674 million a year to its sheriff's office, which employs more than 3,600 police, corrections and civilian personnel. St. Louis budgeted about $147 million for its police department in fiscal 2026. Individual grants could reach tens of millions of dollars, although the department has not announced the distribution.
Jacksonville enters the program after substantial reductions in killings. According to its sheriff's office, the city recorded 59 murders in 2024, fewer than half the previous year's total and the lowest count since at least 1995. Separately, the Justice Department reported that murders declined 38% between 2023 and 2025, while robberies dropped 25% and aggravated assaults fell 21%. Federal officials cited advanced training, technology and stronger investigative capabilities in explaining the selection.
St. Louis recorded 150 homicides in 2024, down from 263 in 2020 and its lowest total since 2013. Overall crime fell 15% year over year in 2024, and homicides during the first three months of 2025 declined 45% compared with the same period in 2024. Its proposal includes adding more than 300 law enforcement personnel, updating policing technology and strengthening public safety operations, according to the department.
Baton Rouge faces a significant staffing shortage. Its police department was approximately 150 officers short earlier in 2026, leading officials to approve what they called the largest police pay increase in department history. Starting salaries rose from $40,000 to $58,000 to help attract and retain officers. The department also uses a Real Time Crime Center, while federal officials highlighted East Baton Rouge Parish's partnerships among police, government and community organizations.
In Jackson, the winning proposal emphasizes technology, closer coordination among agencies, expanded investigative capacity and targeted enforcement, according to the Justice Department. The police department already operates a Real Time Command Center and specialized investigative units, including those addressing gun crime, vice and narcotics, and assigns officers to outside task forces.
The four jurisdictions will work with federal officials to finalize and carry out their plans. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters described his department's award as a "generational investment" that would support investigative work and equip officers with additional technology and resources.
