Tony Dolce, R-Ward 2 and Public Safety Committee chairman, and Hannah Jaroszynski, D-Ward 5, are pictured during a recent Public Safety Committee meeting. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

The Jamestown Police Department has received their funding through the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services’ Gun Involved Violence Elimination Initiative for the 2026-2027 award period, and a resolution accepting that award was brought before city council during Monday’s meeting.

The resolution was discussed and approved during the public safety committee meeting, and it was noted that the grant period runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The grant was applied for in partnership with Chautauqua County, and the total amount received through that partnership is $759,577. $309,345 will be allocated to the Jamestown Police Department.

“We actually received a little bit more this year than we have,” Police Chief Scott Forster said.

The GIVE grant helps to fund hotspot patrols, community and youth engagement efforts.

According to the agenda for Monday night’s city council, GIVE funds have facilitated partnerships with the District Attorney’s Office, Parole, Probation, Department of Development, the New York State Police, and other Law Enforcement agencies within the community, and as a result, it has led to a tremendous amount of information sharing. Joint targeted patrols in city hotspots have been a great deterrent of crime. These resources will enable the Jamestown Police Department to provide overtime for officers to continue working details in conjunction with their GIVE partners. This award continues to fund one full-time Crime Analyst — half funded by GIVE and half funded by STRIVE — and one full-time GIVE Coordinator Assistant, as well as

provides money to attend training.

“We have a couple of other strategies that we’re going to work on this year to help the reduction of shootings and some violent crime issues,” Forster said.