At the Executive Committee meeting of the Public Safety Coordinating Council, Robert Parkinson reported that the council-supported mobile probation/reentry unit — a vehicle retrofitted to deliver supervision and reentry services — has been applied for under the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program and is currently under review by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

The project aims to reduce technical violations of probation by providing enhanced supervision in the community. Parkinson said other jurisdictions that have implemented similar mobile probation units realized a 27% reduction in violations, “which would be about 512 cases per year for us,” and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office reviewed the submitted white paper and “concurred that it would have a positive impact on our justice system, courts, VOP issues, jail populations, etcetera.”

Parkinson told the committee the sheriff’s office initially made its annual state JAG allocation available for other criminal-justice needs after it could not assemble a standalone project. The county subsequently worked with Department of Corrections staff to finalize an application and submitted it by the grant deadline. Parkinson said FDLE is assembling documents to obtain a waiver from the Bureau of Justice Assistance because the vehicle is not a patrol vehicle and requires special certification. “It’s not like going to the Ford dealer and buying a Mustang off the lot,” he said, describing the procurement and retrofit timeline.

Committee members discussed contingency planning. Parkinson said staff prepared an alternate application with Miss Lisa McLean’s office to support specialty court initiatives recommended by Judge Jeffrey Rich’s committee as a Plan B. He also said nonprofits have offered to supply case managers to link people to jobs and social services if the project is approved.

Parkinson described outreach plans should the vehicle be completed: the vehicle will receive partner identification wraps and the council will host a public showing at a county facility. He said, cautiously, that the project could be completed “within a year” if final approvals are obtained.

No formal grant award was announced at the meeting. The committee recorded earlier support for seeking JAG funding and directed staff to continue coordinating with FDLE, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and partner agencies on certification and deployment steps.

The item will return to the full council for a broader update when staff has grant-status information and, if approved, procurement details.