Council clears $1.13 million federal grant to buy mobile radios for EMS, fire and police

The safety committee approved legislation authorizing the director of public safety to apply for and accept a Bureau of Justice Assistance FY26 grant, part of congressionally directed funding secured via Representative Shantel Brown, to buy mobile radios for public safety use.

The director told the committee the grant application has been submitted and that funds are expected as part of the federal process; grants staff confirmed the city was invited to apply by Representative Shantel Brown and that the award is in the federal budget. Grants coordinator Don Hartzong told members the estimated grant amount is $1,131,000 and that there is no local match.

Grants staff briefed members on deployment: the funding would buy 151 mobile radios—10 for EMS, 20 for fire and 121 for the division of police—covering approximately 19% of the 778 mobile radios currently in use. "We will receive the funds... the money is in the federal budget and we'll receive it," the director said.

Council members asked the department to clarify procurement and to consider broader modernization needs, acknowledging that replacing 100% of mobile radios would require substantially more funding than this award provides.