Sheriff and magistrate court seek Edward Byrne, VOCA and VAWA funds; council approves applications and acceptances

Representatives from the sheriff's office and magistrate court summarized three public-safety grant items and obtained council approval to proceed.

Staff reported Lexington County's FY26 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant allocation of $58,727 and proposed distributing $7,047 for the magistrate court system, $45,220 for the sheriff's department, and $6,460 to a sister-care counseling partner. Staff said the court and sheriff were still determining project-level uses for some allocations but asked council's permission to submit grant applications. "The county of Lexington has been allocated $58,727 from the FY26 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant," the presenter said.

The sheriff's office also requested acceptance of its 12th-year Victims of Crime Act award totaling $168,614, which supports three victim-assistance officers serving vulnerable adults, domestic-violence and Spanish-speaking victims. That program requires a 20% in-kind match that staff said is satisfied through budgeted salaries and volunteer hours; officials said the department would transfer $224,851 from the general fund to cover remaining salary and operating costs tied to the program.

Finally, staff described a Violence Against Women Act award of $133,063 for ongoing domestic-violence response. The VAWA award requires a 25% match, which the department said will be met through existing budgeted positions; the department proposed an operating transfer of $112,124 from the general fund to cover remaining balance.

Council moved, seconded and approved application submittal for Edward Byrne funds and acceptance of VOCA and VAWA awards by voice votes. Staff will advance applications and process acceptance per grant terms.