4 US cities are the lucky winners of Trump's $300M crime crackdown contest

By Fox News · Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: Four U.S. cities will share almost $300 million in federal funding after competing to show how they would reduce violent crime and strengthen local law enforcement. Jacksonville, Florida; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; and St. Louis, Missouri, were selected for the Justice Department's new Model Cities Initiative, according to details obtained by Fox News Digital. The four winners represent markedly different policing environments, from Jacksonville, where murders have fallen sharply in recent years, to Baton Rouge, where officials have struggled with a significant officer shortage, and Jackson, where DOJ says officials proposed a technology-driven strategy to combat persistent violent crime. Attorney General Todd Blanche and other DOJ leaders will visit each city over the next 10 days to present the awards, when the department plans to reveal the individual funding amounts. KASH PATEL TO TOUT 'LARGEST' YEAR-TO-YEAR VIOLENT CRIME DROP IN US HISTORY The DOJ launched the competition in June as part of President Donald Trump's focus on reducing crime in U.S. cities. It invited cities nationwide to submit comprehensive plans for reducing violent crime and improving public safety. The awards could represent a sizable addition to the cities' existing law enforcement budgets. Jacksonville budgets about $674 million annually for its sheriff's office, while St. Louis budgeted about $147 million for its police department in fiscal 2026. With nearly $300 million to be divided among just four jurisdictions, each award could amount to tens of millions of dollars, though DOJ has not yet disclosed how the funding will be split. BILL BARR SAYS TODD BLANCHE ISN'T 'A TOADY,' URGES SENATE TO CONFIRM TRUMP'S AG PICK "The Model Cities Initiative reflects the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime across the country and ensuring the safety of every American," Blanche said. "These cities are setting an example of proactive law enforcement that wi…