Wichita OKs applying for DOJ DART grant to add 50 downtown officers

Wichita City Council on July 14, 2026 approved the Wichita Police Department to apply for federal Department of Justice COPS Hiring Program funding tied to a new downtown unit called the Downtown Area Response Team, or DART.

The city’s plan, outlined in council materials reported by The Wichita Eagle, would use the grant pathway to support hiring 50 entry-level officers for a downtown-focused squad. The goal is to increase enforcement in the city core—especially around Delano and the Broadway corridor. If the federal government awards support, it would cover hiring costs for an initial period; the city’s long-term budget impact depends on what happens after the federal support window.

What the City Council approved on July 14

On the July 14 final agenda, the City Council included the item “2026 COPS Hiring Grant” with a recommended action to approve Wichita Police to apply for the grant. The city’s July 14 meeting recap also shows the COPS Hiring Grant item as approved.

What DART is intended to target

As described in the Wichita Eagle’s reporting of the agenda report, DART would target:

• Violent crime
• Squatting and homeless encampments
• Nuisance abatements and other quality-of-life concerns in the downtown area

The reporting also links the planned enforcement push to downtown growth and special-event activity, including impacts on staffing and overtime needs.

How the DOJ COPS Hiring Program money works (the part residents should watch)

The DOJ’s COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is designed to help law enforcement agencies hire and/or rehire additional career officers/deputies to increase community policing capacity. For FY 2026, the program provides up to 75% of entry-level officer salaries and fringe benefits for three years (within a five-year performance window), with a minimum 25% local cost share unless a waiver is approved.

In Wichita’s plan as reported, the city would cover the full cost during the fourth year and beyond if the grant proceeds—making the city’s longer-term budget and staffing decisions an important next accountability step.

Deadlines and next steps

After the city is authorized to apply, the next step is the federal submission process. For FY 2026 CHP applications, the COPS Office says submissions are handled in two steps:

• Grants.gov deadline: Thursday, July 23, 2026 (4:59 PM ET)
• JustGrants deadline: Wednesday, July 29, 2026 (4:59 PM ET)

For residents and business owners in downtown, Delano, and along Broadway: once the application is submitted, the biggest questions to follow are (1) whether Wichita is selected for CHP support and (2) how the city plans to fund and sustain the staffing expansion after the federal support window ends.

Sources

• City of Wichita (CivicSend) meeting recap
• Wichita Eagle reporting on DART plan details
• DOJ COPS Office — CHP FY 2026 deadlines and match structure