Boulder Police Application for the FY2024 Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant

The Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance certifies the City of Boulder Police Department, Boulder County, and the Longmont Police Department are disparate. The Memorandums of Understanding/Interlocal Agreements for each agency are included in the Review Narrative. The two police agencies and the County met and agreed to distribute the total award amount of $58,119 as indicated by the Bureau of Justice Statistics allocation list.

View the application here:

2024 JAG PROGRAM NARRATIVE

Listed below is the breakdown for each agency:

Agency Eligible Individual Allocation Eligible Joint Allocation
Boulder Police $30,107
Longmont Police $28,012
Boulder County 0
$58,119

The group designated the Boulder Police Department as the agency to serve as the fiscal agent and to submit a joint application for the total eligible allocation. Each agency submitted a request for equipment and/or personnel to prevent and control crime based on local needs and conditions and to improve officer safety along with addressing the issue of domestic violence in the community.

CITY OF BOULDER POLICE DEPARTMENT: allocated $30,107 for the following:

The Boulder Police Department is requesting funding to expand its current less-lethal program. Acquiring these less-lethal options supports the department's objectives of reducing the use of deadly force, improving officer and public safety, and maintaining public trust. Their deployment aligns with modern law enforcement best practices and fulfills a critical need for non-lethal tactical options in a variety of scenarios. These devices represent a proactive step toward more responsible and community-focused policing. By integrating this technology, the department will be better equipped to address challenging situations with minimal harm while maintaining effective law enforcement standards. In addition, studies have shown that departments that utilize non-lethal options tend to experience a reduction in use-of-force complaints. The visible use of a non-lethal tool may also deter aggressive behavior, leading to more peaceful resolutions.

Funding will used to purchase the following equipment:

• 6 - Defense Technology 40mm Tactical 4-shot launcher
• 1 - Defense Technology 40mm direct impact reloadable training kit 250 shot kit
• 25 - Defense Technology Exact Impact 40mm standard range sponge round
• 8 - Pepperball FTC PRO launcher (in yellow)
• 2 - Live X Pepperball rounds (375 count)

While the department currently operates these less-lethal platforms, our current inventory is insufficient to equip all officers in the field. This shortage presents a critical gap in our ability to provide effective, less-lethal force options for a city of Boulder’s size and population.

40mm Launchers
The 40mm launcher offers improved accuracy and effectiveness compared to current less-lethal shotguns, which have proven unreliable. In situations requiring a non-lethal response, the 40mm launcher can incapacitate aggressive individuals with greater precision and reduced risk of escalation. The enhanced accuracy minimizes the potential for collateral damage or unintended injuries, aligning with the department’s goal to use the least amount of force necessary.

Force Review Committee’s Findings
The department's Force Review Committee, which includes a diverse group consisting of: One Patrol Officer, the Training Sergeant, a Commander, a Deputy Chief, and the Independent Police Monitor, reviewed a critical incident from July 2024 in which the less-lethal shotgun was deployed. The committee found that the beanbag round was ineffective in resolving the situation and recommended an immediate upgrade to the 40mm launcher, which offers greater accuracy and stopping power

Pepperball Launchers
Pepperball launchers provide a non-lethal means of subduing individuals during confrontations, reducing the need for lethal force. This aligns with modern policing strategies that emphasize de-escalation and minimizing harm, while still maintaining public and officer safety.

De-escalation and Crowd Control
Pepperball launchers can be highly effective in crowd control situations, providing a less aggressive means of dispersing groups. The ability to incapacitate multiple targets without 4 permanent harm helps in managing protests or riots, where the goal is to maintain order without escalating the conflict. These devices offer more control and accuracy than some other nonlethal options, like tear gas or batons. The pepper ball’s impact and dispersal of an irritant is highly localized, limiting the potential for collateral damage to bystanders or uninvolved individuals

LONGMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT: allocated $28,012* for the following:

Longmont Ending Violence Initiative (LEVI)
This grant will partially fund coordinator salary and program costs for the City of Longmont’s Longmont Ending Violence Initiative (LEVI). Domestic violence (DV) is an insidious crime that commands more and more time, personnel, and financial assistance from the Longmont Police Department. It is the number one crime in Longmont. LEVI plays an integral part in the community’s efforts to address and reduce the occurrences of domestic violence in the Longmont community. Many victims, family, and friends depend upon these services.

This initiative encompasses three main goals:

• domestic violence prevention/education
• domestic violence public information
• easy access to domestic violence services for victims.
• Funding will be used for the following:
  LEVI Project Coordinator - The grant will cover 51.67% of one part-time project coordinator (approximately 806 hours annually) salary. Benefits will be covered by the City of Longmont. The project coordinators will manage, coordinate, and evaluate the implementation of the LEVI Program. The total cost for personnel is $27,260.
• Programmatic Costs – Funding will be used to create and maintain community-wide domestic violence prevention/education materials. This funding will be used to purchase printed materials for Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month as well as other prevention/education and public information events. Funding will also be used to support memberships to state domestic violence and victim assistance agencies. Total grant funded amount for programmatic costs is $752.
• *Administrative Costs – Per the Bureau of Justice Statistics allocation list, City of Longmont’s allocation was $31,124. The City of Boulder is charging City of Longmont 10% of their allocation to manage the grant over its term. Total grant funded amount for administrative costs is $3,112. The City of Boulder will use this amount to purchase equipment under this grant and is included in their amounts above.