Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the transfer of $500,000.00 from the Department of Finance's City-wide account to the Department of Public Safety for the purposes of administering the Business District Safety Enhancement Program. Through this program, the Department of Public Safety will work in conjunction with the Division of Police and neighborhood business groups, the Short North Alliance and Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, to develop plans to appropriately deter crime and improve safety in Columbus’s business districts. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the City of Columbus has experienced a significant uptick in violent crime throughout the community, notably in densely populated and visited business districts. In addition, the impacts of the pandemic have resulted in limited resources for small business owners to enhance safety features for their business and surrounding areas. There is a need to utilize funding from the City of Columbus to supplement safety enhancements in business districts throughout the City of Columbus. These organizations will utilize this funding in support of their violent crime interdiction programs, which utilize law enforcement personnel serving in a special duty capacity, educational campaigns, and community outreach workers in an effort to prevent and address violent crime in their respective districts.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested so that organizations can immediately take steps to make safety enhancements in their business districts and the surrounding community.
Fiscal Impact: $500,000.00 is budgeted and available within the Department of Finance's General Fund budget to be transferred to Public Safety for distribution to organizations responsible for maintaining the health, safety, and welfare of residents and visitors in Columbus’s business districts.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Public Safety to enter into grant agreements with th...
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