Section 24-33.5-117 - Crime prevention through safer streets grant program - created - committee - reports - repeal(1) There is created in the department the crime prevention through safer streets grant program, referred to in this section as the "grant program". The grant program allows the department and local governments to evaluate and design safer streets and neighborhood models that discourage crime, revitalize community image, and establish place-specific crime prevention strategies that account for geographic, cultural, economic, and social characteristics of the target areas. The department shall administer the grant program pursuant to this section. Subject to available appropriations, the department may provide technical assistance to agencies interested in submitting responsive proposals. After areas where crime is more prevalent are identified, local governmental agencies may submit a grant application to the department for a grant to pay for improvements designed to decrease the incidence of crime and create safer streets. A local governmental agency may partner with a community-based nonprofit organization to submit a joint application to the department for a grant to pay for improvements designed to decrease the incidence of crime and create safer streets. Such improvements may include: (b) Improved trash collection;(d) Territorial reinforcement; and(e) Improved space management.(2) The department shall develop policies and procedures: (a) For local governmental agencies to submit responses to the requests for proposals and grant applications to guide local governmental agencies in their applications for grants;(b) Ensuring that money from the grant award is not used for:(I) Hiring law enforcement or code enforcement personnel or peace officers;(II) Facial recognition purposes; or(III) Surveillance programs that utilize networks of sensors to detect gunshots, commonly referred to as a "ShotSpotter" program;(c) Ensuring that money from the grant award enhances community safety both inside and outside of urban areas; and(d) Related to how money is disbursed to agencies.(3) All grant applications must address:(a) The target area and crime challenge the applicant hopes to address;(b) Data regarding the incidence of crime in the target area, disaggregated by the type of crime, and demographic data;(c) The specific projects the grant would fund;(d) Measurable or observable goals to decrease the incidence of crime, disaggregated by the type of crime;(e) Details on how the applicant has collaborated with communities and other agencies in developing the improvements to be funded under the application; and(f) Details on how the plan would prevent the displacement of homeless populations and harm to communities of color and vulnerable populations.(4) Prior to submitting grant applications to the department, local government agencies shall solicit feedback and consult with impacted communities, including but not limited to area residents and business owners; homeowners' associations; registered neighborhood organizations; and experts in environmental design, including urban and transportation planning professionals and architects with relevant experience in environmental design.(5) The executive director shall:(a) Review responses to requests for proposals to identify areas around the state where crime is more prevalent, select local governmental agencies to receive money to identify such areas, and determine the amount of money for each agency;(b) Develop and distribute guidelines that applicants must use to demonstrate:(I) Sufficient consultation and collaboration with the relevant impacted community where a project would take place;(II) Sufficient indication of community support for the projects included in the grant application; and(III) A sufficient plan to prevent the displacement of homeless populations and harms to communities of color and other vulnerable populations.(c) Appoint members of the crime prevention through safer streets advisory committee established pursuant to subsection (6) of this section; and(d) Select grant recipients for the grant program and determine the amount of each grant after reviewing the recommendations of the committee and determining that each selected applicant has demonstrated:(I) Sufficient consultation and collaboration with the relevant impacted community where a project would take place;(II) Sufficient indication of community support for the projects included in the grant application; and(III) A sufficient plan to prevent the displacement of homeless populations and harms to communities of color and other vulnerable populations.(6)(a) There is created in the department the crime prevention through safer streets advisory committee, referred to in this section as the "committee". The committee consists of the following eleven persons, who are appointed by the executive director:(I) Two members of law enforcement;(II) Two elected local officials, one from an urban community and one from a rural community;(III) An expert in situational crime prevention;(IV) Three persons from organizations representing community interests;(V) An expert with a background in urban or transportation planning;(VI) An architect with experience in crime prevention through environmental design; and(VII) An expert in equity, diversity, and inclusivity in the law enforcement or public safety field.(b) Members of the committee serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses.(c) The committee shall review applications for grants for safer streets and make recommendations to the executive director for which grants to approve and the amount of each grant. In making its recommendations, the committee shall consider the applicant's:(I) Plan to prevent: (A) The displacement of homeless populations; and(B) Harm to communities of color and vulnerable populations; and(II) Measurable or observable goals to decrease the incidence of crime in accordance with subsection (3)(d) of this section.(7) The general assembly shall appropriate ten million three hundred thousand dollars in fiscal year 2022-23 from the general fund for the grant program. Any unexpended money remaining at the end of the 2022-23 state fiscal year from this appropriation may be used by the department until fully expended without further appropriation and must not be used for any other purpose other than the purposes set forth in this section.(8)(a) On or before August 31, 2023, and each August 31 thereafter through 2026, each local governmental agency that receives a grant shall provide a final report to the department describing how the grant money was utilized and what measurable or observable impacts the use of the grant money had on reducing crime disaggregated by the type of crime and demographic information. On or before October 1, 2023, and each October 1 thereafter through 2026, the department shall submit a summary of the reports to the judiciary committees of the house of representatives and senate, or to any successor committees.(b) Notwithstanding the requirement in section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the requirement to submit the report described in this subsection (8) continues indefinitely.(9) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2027.Amended by 2023 Ch. 443,§ 1, eff. 6/7/2023.Added by 2022 Ch. 190, § 1, eff. 5/19/2022.