Proposed federal grant would add police officers in Kinston housing communities
The Kinston City Council will consider a federal grant proposal Tuesday that would support additional police officers assigned to public housing communities, although the city’s agenda packet contains conflicting information about the number of positions and the city’s total financial obligation.
The Kinston Police Department is seeking funding through the U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS Hiring Program. Most of the application describes a plan to hire two new sworn officers who would be permanently assigned to communities operated by the Kinston Housing Authority and surrounding areas with high call volumes.
The officers would conduct proactive and foot patrols, attend monthly community meetings, work with youth and coordinate with housing officials, social service agencies, schools and community organizations.
The proposal identifies Mitchell Wooten, Carver Courts, Jack Rountree, Simon Bright Homes, John C. Hood Homes, Richard Green and senior housing properties as areas the officers would serve.
KPD set several three-year objectives for the program, including reducing violent crime in targeted areas by 15%, reducing property crime by 20% and decreasing repeat calls for service by 10% to 15%. The department would also seek to increase officer-initiated activity by 25% and conduct at least 24 community meetings each year.
The agenda packet identifies a total project cost of $457,774. The federal government would provide up to $250,000, while Kinston would provide a $207,774 local match during the three-year grant period.
The city would be required to fully fund the positions for an additional retention year. One section estimates the fourth-year salary and benefit cost at $152,592.
Several sections of the packet, however, conflict with the two-officer proposal. A project timeline says KPD would hire four officers in July 2027 and that Kinston would fund all four positions during the retention year. Another section says the city commits to retaining “all four officer positions.”
The documents also give different descriptions of the city’s costs. One section lists a three-year personnel cost of $453,342, while another gives a total project cost of $457,774. The packet does not provide one reconciled total for the city’s obligation across the grant period and required retention year.
Council is being asked to authorize submission of the application, but the packet includes a Justice Grants confirmation showing the application was successfully submitted July 24.
The agenda packet does not explain the conflicting position counts, cost figures or timing of the submission. Those details could be clarified when Police Chief Keith Goyette presents the request Tuesday.
If funded, the new officers would be paired with two existing KPD officers to form a four-person team, according to another section of the proposal. That may account for some references to four positions, although other sections specifically describe four officers being hired or retained.
The Kinston City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at City Hall, 207 E. King St. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel, @thecityofkinston.
