Govind TekaleThe Department of Justice has selected four US cities to share nearly $300 million in federal policing funds. Among the cities that applied for the Model Cities Initiative, the winners are St. Louis, Jacksonville, Jackson, and East Baton Rouge Parish. The DOJ announced the selections on October 30, 2026.
The four jurisdictions selected are the St. Louis Police Department (Missouri), the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (Florida), the City of Jackson (Mississippi), and East Baton Rouge Parish (Louisiana). East Baton Rouge Parish includes the suburban cities of Baker, Central, Zachary, and St. George.
The DOJ announced “nearly $300 million” in total awards but has not yet published the dollar split for each city. All four jurisdictions submitted detailed spending proposals. Individual city allocations remain unconfirmed.
If you live in St. Louis, Jacksonville, Jackson, or East Baton Rouge Parish — including the suburban communities of Baker, Central, Zachary, and St. George — this federal grant will fund targeted public safety improvements. DOJ-announced funding categories include law enforcement hiring, technology upgrades, forensic services, mental health resources, and community services. Specific dollar totals per city have not been confirmed.
The Model Cities Initiative focuses on violent crime reduction in high-homicide cities. Each applicant submitted a specific spending plan tied to measurable outcomes, not a general block grant request. St. Louis and Jackson have both recorded elevated per-capita homicide rates in recent FBI crime data. Jacksonville and East Baton Rouge Parish have posted rising violent crime rates over the same period.
The DOJ Office of Justice Programs will administer the grants and require quarterly performance reports from all four cities. Unlike general federal block grants, Model Cities funds are tied to specific deliverables the cities committed to in their applications. Local reporting indicates Jackson may receive approximately $100 million — though the DOJ has not confirmed individual city allocations.
Until the final city-by-city allocations are confirmed, all four police departments are operating on a budget promise — which complicates procurement planning for the improvements each city proposed.
Which four cities were selected for the DOJ $300M Model Cities Initiative?
On October 30, 2026, the DOJ selected four winners: the St. Louis Police Department (Missouri), the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (Florida), the City of Jackson (Mississippi), and East Baton Rouge Parish (Louisiana). Exact dollar amounts per city have not been announced.
The DOJ is expected to confirm individual city funding totals in the coming weeks. Check back for updates on individual city allocations and spending timelines.
