The proposed project will address the recent increase in violent, drug (particularly fentanyl), and youth-related offenses in the small border community of brawley, california

The City of Brawley, California was awarded a $300,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Rural Violent Crime Initiative (CFDA 16.039). The grant will fund a three-year initiative to address increases in violent crime, drug (particularly fentanyl) offenses, and youth-related crimes in the small border community. The project will employ a three-pronged approach to (1) enhance community engagement, (2) promote youth education and empowerment, and (3) leverage data-driven decision making to bolster proactive crime prevention strategies. These efforts are modeled after best practices in the 2021 Violent Crime Reduction Operations Guide from the Major Cities Chiefs Association. The grant was awarded on October 1, 2023 with a completion date of September 30, 2026.

By employing a three-pronged approach, the initiative will: (1) enhance community engagement, (2) promote youth education and empowerment, and (3) leverage data-driven decision making to bolster proactive crime prevention strategies. These efforts will be modeled after three critical leadership elements outlined in the 2021 violent crime reduction operations guide prepared by the major cities chiefs association: (1) community engagement, (2) youth partnerships, and (3) accountability.