Chicago Saturday, May 24, 2025
The Justice Department has significantly reduced its funding for anti-crime programs nationwide, forcing police departments and private organizations to scramble for alternative resources. Announced in late April, the cuts affected an estimated 373 grants worth around $500 million, according to the Council on Criminal Justice.
The broad scope of the cuts caught many public safety organizations off guard.
“We expected some federal cuts,” said Kelsie McDaniel, district attorney of Union County, Oregon. “But we didn’t anticipate programs aligned with the DOJ’s stated goals would be included.” Her office had used a federal grant to fund an investigator focused on building detailed cases, such as tracking fentanyl dealers tied to fatal overdoses.
“We couldn’t do that work without him,” McDaniel said. “We actually hoped our funding might increase while others were reduced.” Instead, her grant was canceled. Although most of the money had already been used, she’s concerned the cancellation may hinder future federal funding opportunities.
“Federal grants make it possible for agencies to take on work they otherwise couldn’t afford,” explained Jim Burch, president of the National Policing Institute, which distributed many of the grants to rural departments. He warned that the abrupt cuts—many issued midway through projects—could lead to layoffs of critical personnel like crime analysts and IT staff, and potentially reduce patrol capabilities.
Some in the field questioned the rationale behind the funding decisions.
“They’re dismantling things without a clear plan,” said Aqeela Sherrills, co-founder and executive director of the Community Based Public Safety Collective, which supports community violence intervention efforts.
