United Front: Enhancing Suburban Safety Through Cross-Agency Collaboration

In response to the increased spillover of violent crime from the City of Akron into its neighboring suburbs, a consortium of five law enforcement agencies—Lakemore Village (lead agency), Mogadore Village, City of Tallmadge, Cuyahoga Falls, and Stow—seeks funding under the FY 2024 Rural and Small Department Violent Crime Reduction initiative from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. This collaborative project aims to enhance regional capacities to combat and mitigate violent crime through a comprehensive strategy integrating advanced technological tools within a broader framework of community engagement and officer training.

The primary activities of this project include the strategic use of FLOCK Cams and Star Chase GPS systems to enhance real-time crime monitoring and response capabilities. These technologies will support a broader crime reduction strategy that includes significant training components for law enforcement on cultural competency, bias awareness, de-escalation techniques, and robust community outreach efforts to strengthen trust and collaboration between police and community members.

Expected outcomes of the initiative include a measurable decrease in crime rates within the suburbs, improved police-community relations, and enhanced operational efficiencies in crime response. The service area consists of the jurisdictions of the five participating agencies, collectively serving a population of over 100,000 residents who will directly benefit from improved safety and community engagement efforts.

This proposal requests priority consideration under the Bureau’s guidelines for projects that advance equity and enhance access to services for communities historically underserved and disproportionately affected by crime. The project aims to address systemic inequities and foster a more inclusive approach to public safety by integrating culturally informed training and outreach into the crime reduction strategy.

The total budget for this three-year project is $300,000, with a strategic allocation ensuring that technology-related expenses do not exceed 30% of the total budget. This budgetary discretion underscores the project’s commitment to a comprehensive approach where technology supports community safety and equity objectives but does not overshadow them.