The U.S. Department of Justice said it was awarding four cities federal funding to combat crime.
The cities—Jacksonville, Florida; East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; and St. Louis, Missouri—will split nearly $300 million as part of the DOJ’s Model Cities Initiative (MCI), a program geared toward reducing violent crime, restoring law and order, and strengthening public safety. Officials said the cities were chosen because of their innovative, comprehensive and locally-driven strategies to combat crime and enhance coordination between local law enforcement and their federal and state partners.
“The Model Cities Initiative reflects the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime across the country and ensuring the safety of every American,” U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said. “These cities are setting an example of proactive law enforcement that will strengthen the rule of law and improve public safety in their jurisdictions. As violent crime rates continue to fall to historic lows, the Department of Justice is redoubling our efforts to invest in local communities and keep American families safe.”
The initiative takes a whole-of-city approach to public safety and brings together law enforcement with local government officials and community partners to develop comprehensive strategies that will address each city’s unique public safety challenges.
“President Trump and this Department of Justice have demonstrated that Americans need not accept unsafe streets as a fact of life,” Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr said. “We have made tremendous strides in restoring public safety, with nonfatal violent crime declining 25 percent from 2024 to 2025. The Model Cities Initiative offers an opportunity to build on that progress, empowering these cities to set a new standard for safer communities across America.”
The DOJ said it would work with each jurisdiction to finalize and implement its public safety plan. Funding will support a range of priorities from hiring new law enforcement officers to related public safety activities and enhanced forensic capabilities, among other initiatives.
Officials said Blanche will visit the four selected jurisdictions in November to present the awards and meet with local law enforcement officials, elected leaders, and community partners.