Schmitt says ‘front-loaded’ $68 million St. Louis police grant safe from Democrats 

A massive federal grant designed to crack down on violent crime is heading to St. Louis, but a shifting political landscape in Washington has some wondering whether the funds are truly secure.

Heartlander News previously reported on the Model Cities Initiative grant awarded to St. Louis and three other cities across the nation to put more officers on the streets and upgrade police technology.

Attorney General Todd Blanche was in St. Louis Monday to herald the $68 million grant to help drive down violent crime.

But what about the incoming Democratic majority in Congress? Could they delay, block or claw back the money before it reaches the officers who need it?

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, helped secure the grant and remains confident the money is locked in. He dismissed concerns during an exclusive interview with Heartlander News, noting the funds are already committed and spread out over a three-year period.

“I think the good news is we have front-loaded really these dollars for this grant,” he said. “It’d be a pretty extraordinary effort on their part to take money away from law enforcement. But all I can do is judge them on sort of their actions. Last year [Democrats] spent most of the year trying to defund federal law enforcement from enforcing our immigration laws.”

Schmitt expects intense political battles in Washington but hopes the grant’s three-year structure will protect it from partisan politics.

“We’re going to have to continue to fight for resources for law enforcement, because the left is going to demand these sorts of things from Democrats in Congress now that they’re in control,” he said. “We’re going to have to watch it very closely.”

The grant dedicates approximately $68 million to the region. Schmitt doesn’t expect interference in the short term but acknowledged that future budget battles are coming.

Attorney General Blanche said the money functions as a direct investment in structural improvements designed to outlast the three-year grant period.

“This has nothing to do with whether somebody is a Republican or a Democrat,” Blanche said in St. Louis. “What this has to do with is your leadership committing to investing in law enforcement.”

Blanche said the city submitted a comprehensive plan detailing how the department would use the federal money to modernize its operations and retain staff.

“When St. Louis came to us, they said, ‘Here’s what we need money for,’” Blanche said. “We need to hire more law enforcement officers, but we need to invest in technology. We need to invest in a crime center. We need to invest in making sure the information systems that we have … keep up with modern times. That’s what we want to spend our money on at the DOJ. And we’re partnering with you to do that.”

Blanche also dismissed concerns about incoming congressional committees launching investigations into the Justice Department or the grant process.

He noted that the department routinely works with Congress to address questions and would continue cooperating with legitimate oversight efforts despite the shift in the balance of power.

Gov. Mike Kehoe praised the collaboration between state and federal officials, highlighting the grant as a vital step toward rebuilding the region’s economy.

“Bringing back safer streets to our communities is paramount to economic investment from the rest of the business community in rebuilding who St. Louis is,” said Kehoe, a Republican. “We couldn’t be more proud as a state to be able to accept this grant and put it to work immediately.”

The federal money will support police recruitment and academy improvements. It will also fund upgrades to intelligence-gathering capabilities and replace aging equipment.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Tracy outlined the department’s priorities, stressing the importance of supporting officers while expanding services for victims and people in crisis.

“For an officer responding to a dangerous call, that can mean better protective equipment,” Tracy said. “For a detective, it can mean tools needed to identify a suspect and bring answers to a grieving family. For someone struggling with homelessness, mental illness or addiction, it can mean a connection and help that they need and deserve. Those are outcomes that matter.”

Schmitt recalled discussing the program with Blanche during the attorney general’s confirmation process and expressed pride in bringing the resources back to Missouri.

“I think for far too long, the good people of St. Louis have had to accept the scourge of violent crime, ripping apart our neighborhoods, our communities, our reputation, but that ends, and this is a big part of all of that,” said Schmitt, a former Missouri attorney general who was elected to the Senate in 2022.

(Featured image: U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche hands a giant $68 million check to SLMPD Police Chief Robert Tracy. Image credit: Screenshot/cropped/X/@AGToddBlanche)