Interoffice Memorandum
DATE: August 18, 2026
TO: Mayor Jerry L. Demings and County Commissioners
THROUGH: Daniel P. Banks, Deputy County Administrator
FROM: Carlos Durden, Emergency Manager
CONTACT: Carlos Durden, Emergency Manager
PHONE: 407-836-9097
DIVISION: Office of Emergency Management
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approval and execution of BJA FY25 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program - Local Formula Award Number: 15PBJA-25-GG-03528-JAGX in the amount of $445,105 for the period of October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2028. There is no match required. (Office of Emergency Management)
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PROJECT: BJA FY25 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program - Local Formula Award Number: 15PBJA-25-GG-03528-JAGX
PURPOSE: The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs and Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded Orange County the BJA FY25 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program - Local Solicitation, Award Number: 15PBJA-25-GG-03528-JAGX in the amount of $445,105 with no match required. The grant period is from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2028. The JAG Program allows units of local government to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime, based on their own state and local needs and conditions. Orange County will utilize the JAG FY2025 - Local Formula award to support a variety of law enforcement and prevention-related initiatives that will enhance essential county services while increasing public safety prevention and educational programs. The projects include:
Office of Emergency Management: Funding will provide for the Active Violence Training and Exercise Project. The project will provide an opportunity to address gaps in operations, coordination, communication, intelligence, information sharing, and situational awareness while focusing on combating hate crimes, providing for Community Violence Intervention and reducing the violent crime impact on the whole community. The amount awarded to this project is $50,000.
Orange County Fire Rescue (Operations): Funding will provide for a Mass Casualty Incident exercise that will include a multiple patient monitoring system. During mass-casualty incidents, current monitoring capabilities limit the ability to obtain, track, and manage vital signs for multiple patients. Existing cardiac monitors support only one patient per device, with each activation logged as a separate record, creating delays, reducing situational awareness, and hindering timely identification of deteriorating patients. This gap affects the ability to effectively manage large-scale incidents and highlights the need for technology that enables simultaneous, remote monitoring of multiple patients from a unified platform to support life safety and public safety response. The amount awarded to this project is $50.000.
Children’s Safety Village: Funding will provide a Youth Mobility Safety Training Program at the Children’s Safety Village. The Central Florida community is experiencing increasing safety risks associated with youth use of micro-mobility devices such as e-bikes and e-scooters. Many children and teens operate these devices without proper training or knowledge of traffic laws, resulting in unsafe riding behaviors, injuries and near-miss incidents. The Youth Micro-Mobility Safety Training Program will provide structured micro mobility safety education at the Children's Safety Village through hands-on training and law enforcement engagement for 2,000 youth. The amount awarded for this project is $50,000.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office: Funding will provide a Mobile Surveillance Enhancement Initiative. The Orange County Sheriff's Office AIM Unit seeks JAG-D funding to acquire a portable surveillance trailer capable of real time, high-definition monitoring in areas lacking in infrastructure. These trailers will enhance AIM's ability to deter criminal activity, develop leads, and ensure public safety during major events and emergent incidents. With mobile, self-powered surveillance capabilities, AIM will improve response effectiveness, interagency collaboration, and community trust. The amount awarded for this project is $38,099.
Orange County Corrections Department: Funding will provide for the Crisis Intervention/Crisis Response & Management Project. The project will provide funding to correctional facilities that have to train officers how to deal with mental health crises. The training would provide correctional officers the tools to deal with a growing number of individuals experiencing mental health crises. The amount awarded for this project is $94,731.
Children’s Safety Village: Funding will provide for Children’s Safety Education Programs. Over the last year, the Central Florida community has experienced an increase in dangerous person incidents, gun-related fatalities and injuries, internet safety concerns, and 9-1-1 calls responding to community needs. Locally, children are encountering these issues more frequently. While the Children’s Safety Village, in partnership with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and other first responder agencies, currently provides safety education, there is a need to expand outreach to schools, camps, daycares, homeschool groups, and other organizations to ensure broader access to these programs. Part-time personnel will support this effort by assisting with outreach and coordination and will be paid $18 per hour while submitting monthly work logs. The amount awarded for this project is $19,300.
Orange County Fire Rescue (Communications): Funding will provide for Mass Casualty Inter-Op Radio Kits. Communications is requesting an additional three APX NEXT XE portable radios to create multiple kits for use in the event of a large-scale multi-agency incident. Emergency incidents can occur anywhere, without regard for jurisdictional borders. Responders from various agencies may need to work together. Failure to carefully consider interoperability in the purchase and implementation of communication equipment and programs could put lives at risk. Some land mobile radio systems are typically considered proprietary. During a multi-jurisdictional response incident, lack of interoperability could lead to inefficiency and risk for both responders and the public. The amount awarded for this project is $35,540.
Community and Family Servies (Juvenile Assessment Center JAC): Funding will provide for a Youth Admission Queue Tracker System - Phase II. Queue Tracker System - Phase II tracks youth custody time, ensures compliance with the six-hour statutory limit, and improves information sharing with Administrators, Management, and Law Enforcement Partners. The amount awarded for this project is $45,000.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office: Funding will provide for Rescue Air Bottles. Safety is the number one priority in aviation's support of ground Law Enforcement Operations. Each crew member in the aircraft carries a personal oxygen bottle for support in emergencies such as dangerous landings or crashing into water. When a helicopter crashes into water, it will flip upside down and the crew will need extra time and oxygen to unstrap, exit the aircraft, and swim to safety. Due to the expense of these air bottles, we have been required to share the bottles among staff. Forty-seven bottles are needed to properly outfit the entire full-time and part-time staff and have spares to utilize for repairs and inspections. The amount awarded for this project is $27,435.
Community and Family Services Juvenile Assessment Center: Funding will provide for Youth Shelter Security Enhancements - Camera Modernization. The Orange County Youth Shelter operates 24/7 and provides temporary residential care for at-risk youth ages 10 through 17 experiencing homelessness, family conflict, truancy, or involvement with the juvenile justice system. Due to the high-risk population, a secure, fully monitored environment is essential for safety, staff protection, and compliance. The current security system is outdated, with limited coverage, unreliable performance, and poor image quality. Several areas lack adequate monitoring, creating blind spots that increase safety risks, hinder supervision, and limit the ability to document and review incidents. The amount awarded for this project is $35,000.
BUDGET: N/A