The Justice Department awarded the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office $73,005,420 on Friday. The plan for spending it is still being finalized.
The U.S. Department of Justice awarded Jacksonville more than $73 million on Friday to fight violent crime. The money goes to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office through the department’s Model Cities Initiative.
The ceremonial check presented in Jacksonville reads $73,005,420. That figure is on the check in the department’s own photo of the event. Attorney General Todd Blanche presented the award at a news conference in the city, according to the Justice Department’s announcement of Nov. 6.
When the four winning cities were named Oct. 30, neither the department nor the Sheriff’s Office said how much each would get. We reported then that Jacksonville had been picked for a share of nearly $300 million.
Why Jacksonville was picked
The department said Jacksonville was chosen from nearly 50 cities. It cited the city’s partnerships between agencies, its record on violent crime and its public safety plan.
The plan, the department said, includes:
- more law enforcement capacity
- stronger forensic work
- new crime-fighting technology
- more investigative resources
The crime figures behind it
The Justice Department gave these changes for Jacksonville from 2023 through 2025:
- murders down 38%
- robberies down 25%
- aggravated assaults down 21%
- “bullet-to-bone” shootings down from 278 to 268
- non-domestic shootings down from 1,340 to 1,029
What they said
“It’s an investment that will allow us to build on our success, strengthen our investigative capabilities, and innovate our technological assets,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said in the department’s release.
Blanche said the four cities “are setting an example of proactive law enforcement.”
U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., who said he is a former sheriff, praised the Sheriff’s Office in the release. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said the grant “will save lives across North Florida.”
What the money can pay for
The department said it will work with each city “to finalize and implement its public safety plan.” Across the program, the money can fund:
- hiring sworn officers and civilian staff for enforcement, prosecution and related work
- new and improved technology
- buying or leasing equipment
- more forensic capacity
- mental health and substance use services, and programs to cut reoffending
Neither the department nor the Sheriff’s Office has published Jacksonville’s line-by-line plan, the number of hires or a timeline.
The other three cities
The department funded one agency in each place:
| Place | Agency funded |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville | Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office |
| Baton Rouge, Louisiana | East Baton Rouge Parish |
| Jackson, Mississippi | City of Jackson |
| St. Louis | St. Louis Police Department |
What it means for you
The amount is now known: just over $73 million for the Sheriff’s Office. What it buys is not. The spending plan is still being finalized with the Justice Department. When it is published, it should show how many officers and staff are hired and what technology is bought.
We will update this story when the Sheriff’s Office or the department publishes the plan. For the Sheriff’s Office’s published arrests and incidents, see our Police and Fire log.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Jacksonville get from the Model Cities Initiative?
The Justice Department said it awarded Jacksonville more than $73 million on Nov. 6, 2026. The check presented to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, shown in the department’s own photo, reads $73,005,420.
Who receives Jacksonville’s Model Cities money?
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The Justice Department lists it as the funded department for Jacksonville.
What will the Model Cities money pay for in Jacksonville?
The Justice Department said Jacksonville will expand its investigative and prosecutorial capabilities, modernize crime-fighting technology and strengthen its ability to identify and arrest violent offenders. The department and the Sheriff’s Office are still finalizing the plan.
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