Council hears resolution to seek grant funding for a gang investigator amid rising shots-fired calls

City public-safety staff introduced Resolution 248 to authorize submission and acceptance of a justice-assistance grant to fund a gang administrator/investigator position, citing a notable uptick in violent and property crime calls.

"We started noticing an increase in certain crimes... shots-fired calls across the city had actually increased by 50% from 2022 to 2023," the public-safety staff said, adding that the city recorded 33 such incidents in 2022 and 60 in 2023 and had 26 so far in 2024. Staff said some incidents show a nexus to gang activity and described worrying involvement at younger ages, including middle-school and some elementary-school reports.

Staff said they have engaged the public-information officer and grant writer to pursue funding opportunities and that the resolution would authorize submission and acceptance of the grant if awarded. The transcript records staff presentation of the resolution and problem identification but does not record a formal motion outcome or vote on Resolution 248.

Councilors asked for context and staff described planned problem-solving approaches and grant-seeking as one step toward adding investigative capacity.