Conn. city approves $250K police grant for increased OT

By Thomas Birmingham

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — On Monday night, the New Haven Board of Alders kicked off its biweekly meeting by approving a grant of up to $250,000 for increased police overtime and, later, appointed several city residents to the Affordable Housing Commission.

The grant would come from the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management and is intended for “overtime for COVID-19 mitigation and response efforts.” Ward 11 Alder Gerald Antunes, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, said the grant will also be directed toward violent crime reduction in Elm City. The item passed with unanimous consent from the board, and Antunes noted that the Public Safety Committee would be meeting on Tuesday to further discuss the item.

According to Antunes, part of the grant money would also go directly to the New Haven Police Department’s Project Longevity, an initiative intended to reduce gun violence in the city through community outreach efforts. Project Longevity began as an effort spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office under President Barack Obama, and since then, Connecticut cities such as New Haven and Bridgeport have received funding for the project through the state.

Full story: Alders approve $250,000 police grant from state, appoint housing commissioners