Committee advances congressionally directed grants totaling nearly $3.3 million for police tech, responders and drone program

The Budget and Finance Committee moved forward two grant ordinances that together would authorize acceptance of nearly $3.3 million in congressionally directed spending for the Cincinnati Police Department.

Dr. Dudesch told the committee that item number 6 is a grant of up to $1,500,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, funded via an earmark from Senator Marino, to support technology and equipment for the real-time crime center, the community responders program and the police drone program. "The funds are to be used for improving response to calls for service, and specifically would aid the real time crime center, the community responders program, as well as the police department's drone program," he said.

Item number 7 is a similar congressionally directed spending award from Senator Husted for nearly $1,800,000 with a comparable set of uses and some different allocations.

A council member asked whether the council had previously approved specific earmarks; Dr. Dudesch replied that the council has accepted earmarks before, citing examples including prior senator and representative-directed funds.

Both grant ordinances were placed on for passage. The committee did not review detailed line-item budgets for the grants at the hearing.