2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 24 - GOVERNMENT - STATE (§§ 24-1-101 — 24-116-102) › PRINCIPAL DEPARTMENTS (§§ 24-30-101 — 24-36-306) › Article 33.5 - Public Safety (§§ 24-33.5-101 — 24-33.5-2704) › Part 5 - DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE (§§ 24-33.5-501 — 24-33.5-536) › Section 24-33.5-527 - Multidisciplinary crime prevention and crisis intervention grant program - committee - fund - reports - repeal

(1)
(a)
(I)
There is created in the division the multidisciplinary crime prevention and crisis intervention grant program, referred to in this section as the "grant program", to apply a community-based, multidisciplinary approach to crime prevention and crisis intervention strategies, specifically in areas where crime is disproportionately high. Programs receiving grants may be multidisciplinary and may demonstrate collaboration between community organizations, including both governmental and nongovernmental entities.
(II)
Eligible grant recipients may include:
(A)
Community-based organizations and nonprofit agencies;
(B)
Local law enforcement agencies;
(C)
Federally recognized tribes with jurisdiction in Colorado;
(D)
Local health or human service agencies; and
(E)
Third-party membership organizations or administrators on behalf of eligible grant recipients.
(III)
Any third-party grant administrator shall:
(A)
Be a nonprofit organization in good standing with the secretary of state's office;
(B)
Have experience as a third-party administrator for a state, multistate, federal, or foundation grant program;
(C)
Be capable of providing a unified case management, financial, and data collection system related to services and payments received under the grant program;
(D)
Be capable of providing technical assistance and other organizational development services to grantees to improve delivery of services, financial management, or data collection; and
(E)
Have experience and competency in working with underserved communities, particularly communities of color.
(IV)
Eligible entities may jointly collaborate on applications.
(V)
Crime prevention and crisis intervention strategies may include:
(A)
Violence interruption programs;
(B)
Early intervention teams;
(C)
Primary and secondary violence prevention programs;
(D)
Restorative justice services;
(E)
Co-responder programs;
(F)
Other research-informed crime and crisis prevention and recidivism reduction programs; and
(G)
Support-team-assisted response programs.
(VI)
For any grant applications involving law enforcement entities, applicants must include:
(A)
Details on how the entity will take measures to ensure collaboration with communities and other agencies in developing the plan;
(B)
Details, including data, on why a specific area needs increased law enforcement presence; and
(C)
A plan to ensure that law enforcement will work with the community to foster a positive relationship between law enforcement and the impacted community.
(b)
The division shall administer the grant program pursuant to this section. Subject to available appropriations, the division shall make grant payments from money appropriated to the division from the general fund for the program. The division shall work to ensure eligible communities are informed of the existence of the grant program.
(2)
The executive director shall:
(a)
Develop policies and procedures for law enforcement and local governmental agencies to apply for grants, including policies and procedures for implementation of a streamlined grant process to ensure ease of access for smaller and rural agencies and communities that may not have the experience or capacity to engage in complex grant programs and policies and procedures for how grant money is disbursed and allocated among agencies;
(b)
Review applications for grants;
(c)
After receiving and reviewing recommendations from the multidisciplinary crime prevention and crisis intervention advisory committee established pursuant to subsection (3) of this section, select entities to receive a one- or two-year grant and determine the amount of the grants. If a grantee that received a two-year grant decides not to accept grant funding in the second year, the director may apportion those grant funds to other grantees; and
(d)
In awarding grants, give consideration to applicants that are culturally competent, gender-responsive, and representative of the individuals the applicant generally seeks to serve with the grant.
(3)
(a)
There is created in the division the multidisciplinary crime prevention and crisis intervention advisory committee, referred to in this section as the "committee". The director shall ensure that the composition of the committee is racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse and representative of the communities where crime is disproportionately high. The committee consists of the following thirteen members:
(I)
The executive director or the executive director's designee;
(II)
The director of the division of criminal justice or the director's designee;
(III)
The following individuals appointed by the executive director:
(A)
A researcher from an institution of higher education with a background in evidence-based criminal justice policy and research or evaluation of effective community-based services that reduce crime and violence;
(B)
An individual who has previously been involved with the criminal justice system;
(C)
A member of law enforcement from a community of over four hundred thousand residents;
(D)
A member of law enforcement from a community of between fifty thousand and four hundred thousand residents;
(E)
A member of law enforcement from a community of less than fifty thousand residents, serving a community wholly east of Interstate 25 or west of the continental divide;
(F)
A member who represents a federally recognized tribe with jurisdiction in Colorado;
(G)
A victim's advocate, as defined in section
13-90-107 (1)(k)(II)
, with experience in providing culturally responsive services in communities of color or a representative from a community-based victim services organization that specializes in serving victims of color;
(H)
A member of a community-based organization specializing in behavioral health care with experience in providing culturally responsive care in communities of color and underserved populations;
(I)
A member of a community-based organization specializing in diverting individuals from the criminal justice system with experience in providing culturally responsive services in communities of color and underserved populations;
(J)
A member who specializes in violence prevention, including in communities of color and underserved populations; and
(K)
A community representative.
(b)
Members of the committee serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses.
(c)
The committee shall review applications for grants submitted pursuant to this section and make recommendations on which entities should receive grants and the amount of each grant. The committee should consider which communities have the greatest need, including communities where many of these services are not available due to size or geographic location.
(d)
If necessary, in each fiscal year the division may release up to twenty-five percent of the total yearly grant award to a grantee to be used for grantee start-up expenses necessary to implement the grants, including hiring program staff, administrative expenses, or other allowable expenses determined by the division and documented by the applicant. Applicants must not use more then ten percent of the total yearly grant award for administrative costs.
(4)
(a)
There is created in the state treasury the multidisciplinary crime prevention and crisis intervention grant fund, referred to in this section as the "fund", consisting of any money appropriated to the fund by the general assembly and any money received by the division from gifts, grants, or donations for the grant program. Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, the division may expend money from the fund for the direct and indirect costs associated with implementing the grant program.
(b)
The state treasurer may invest any money in the fund not expended for the purpose of this section as provided by law. The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the investment and deposit of money in the fund to the fund. Any unexpended and unencumbered money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year remains in the fund and is not credited or transferred to the general fund or another fund.
(c)
(I)
The general assembly shall appropriate from the general fund to the fund seven million five hundred thousand dollars in each of the fiscal years 2022-23 and 2023-24 for the grant program.
(II)
Each year, the executive director shall award grants from the grant program of not less than two million five hundred thousand dollars in total to:
(A)
Law enforcement agencies, including tribal law enforcement agencies; or
(B)
County and municipal governments, including local health or human service agencies.
(III)
Each year, the executive director shall award grants from the grant program of not less than two million five hundred thousand dollars in total to community-based organizations.
(IV)
Each year, the executive director may award grants from the money remaining after the money is awarded pursuant to subsections (4)(c)(II) and (4)(c)(III) of this section to the entities identified in those subsections. For grants awarded pursuant to this subsection (4)(c)(IV), the executive director shall give preference to application in which two or more eligible entities collaborated.
(c.5)
(I)
On July 1, 2024, the state treasurer shall transfer three million dollars from the general fund to the fund.
(II)
This subsection (4)(c.5) is repealed, effective July 1, 2025.
(d)
The division may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the purposes of this section. The division shall transmit all money received through gifts, grants, or donations to the state treasurer, who shall credit the money to the fund.
(5)
On or before August 1, 2023, and August 1, 2024, each governmental agency or other eligible recipient that receives a grant shall provide a narrative and financial report to the division describing how the grant funds were utilized, including data and other information relevant to the performance metrics established in subsection (2) of this section, and evidence of the impact of the grant on crime, criminal justice involvement, and community relationships with law enforcement. On or before October 1, 2023, and on or before October 1, 2024, the division shall submit a summary of the reports to the judiciary committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or to any successor committees.
(6)
This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2027.
Amended by 2024 Ch. 125,§ 2, eff. 4/29/2024.
Added by 2022 Ch. 199, § 2, eff. 5/20/2022.