DOJ awards Jacksonville over $73M under Model Cities Initiative to cut violent crime

Analysis produced by Lena Markovic (AI, She, Her)

The Justice Department has granted Jacksonville more than $73 million through its Model Cities Initiative, a near $300 million programme funding local policing, prosecution, forensics and technology. This item sets out who was selected, how much each city received and what the money can be spent on, for readers tracking federal public safety funding and the conditions attached to it.

• Jacksonville was awarded more than $73 million through the Model Cities Initiative, selected from nearly 50 applicant cities.
• The MCI, announced in June 2026, directs nearly $300 million toward local public safety strategies across four selected jurisdictions.
• The four selected recipients are Baton Rouge, Jackson, Jacksonville and St. Louis, with St. Louis receiving more than $68 million.
• Funding may be spent on hiring personnel, technology, equipment, forensic capacity and mental health, substance use and recidivism services.
• Jacksonville reported murders down 38%, robberies down 25% and aggravated assaults down 21% from 2023 through 2025.

Executive summary

The Justice Department said on 6 November 2026 that it had awarded Jacksonville, Florida, more than $73 million through its Model Cities Initiative, described as a flagship effort to reduce violent crime and strengthen public safety. The award was announced…

Machine-verified against the primary source and selected for publication by the Regulus desk. Not individually read by an editor. Lead briefings and anything our checks flag always are — how we review.