The Union City Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday to accept $112,227 in grant funding from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Tobacco Grant Program. The funds, to be distributed over three fiscal years from 2025 to 2028, will support efforts by the Union City Police Department (UCPD) to prevent youth access to tobacco products and enforce local tobacco regulations.
The grant will fund initiatives including minor decoy operations, undercover purchases of flavored tobacco and retailer inspections. UCPD will also allocate a portion of the funds to hire a Community Service Aide dedicated to educating retailers, conducting inspections and enforcing laws such as Union City’s ban on flavored tobacco.
“Preventing youth access to tobacco products is crucial to reducing long-term health risks and curbing the initiation of lifelong addiction,” UCPD Police Chief Jared Rinetti stated.
The grant will enable UCPD to conduct 33 annual retailer inspections, six minor decoy operations and six shoulder tap inspections each year. Additionally, four officers annually will receive specialized training on tobacco laws and ordinances.
Union City has seen a rise in youth tobacco use, with teachers in the New Haven Unified School District reporting an uptick in incidents. The Police Chief says he is confident that this new ordinance will address this issue by funding proactive enforcement measures that would otherwise be constrained by the city’s budget.
“This funding provides essential resources to safeguard public health and uphold our local regulations,” Rinetti said.
The approved grant will be incorporated into Union City’s budget for fiscal years 2025-2026, 2026-2027, and 2027-2028.
