Nov. 5, 2020 — Davenport City officials announced Thursday that the Davenport Police Department was awarded a nearly $700,000 grant through the Department of Justice’s Strategies for Policing Innovations (SPI) program. The Strategies for Policing Innovations grant provides funding to law enforcement agencies to identify innovative and evidence-based strategies to tackle chronic crime in their jurisdictions.
Utilizing the SPI grant, the Davenport Police Department will create a new crime analysis division within the department to more effectively and efficiently collect and analyze data which will inform crime reduction strategies aimed at reducing violent crime, and specifically gun violence, in Davenport. The newly-awarded grant connects to Davenport’s larger strategy to combat gun violence.
During the press conference, officials addressed the rise in gun violence over the past twelve months and the specific steps they are taking to mitigate the violence including:
• The creation of a new Gun Crime Unit to focus specifically on investigating gun crimes.
• The purchase of a NIBIN system to link shell casings to firearms and provide leads for the Gun Crime Unit to follow up on.
• The reorganization of the department to reallocate resources to the patrol and investigation divisions.
As a result of these proactive measures, 266 firearms have been seized, of which 72% had been used in a criminal offense, and 269 charges for gun related offenses have been filed in 2020 to date.
“The men and women of the Davenport Police Department have worked tirelessly over the past year as our community has seen a rise in gun violence. We are excited that this grant enhance and expand the analytical capabilities in the department to more effectively deal with gun crime in our community,” said Mayor Mike Matson.
The announcement of the SPI grant award is a continuation of an effective partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office in combating violent crime in Davenport. In 2019, Davenport was announced as a partner agency in the DOJ’s Public Safety Partnership program. The Public Safety Partnership is a three-year program that enables cities to consult with and receive coordinated training and technical assistance and an array of resources from the Department of Justice to enhance local violence reduction strategies.