The city of Ceres has been awarded a $1 million grant in Proposition 64 grant funding to underwrite efforts to address increasing illegal cannabis activity and associated public safety risks.
The city has plans to use the money to form a Cannabis Enforcement Unit if the Ceres City Council officially accepts it, said Ceres Police Chief Trenton Johnson.
The city requested $998,344 that will fund a Cannabis Code Enforcement Officer to conduct proactive inspections, investigations, and enforcement targeting unlicensed retail sales, illegal cultivation, and organized cannabis operations. The unit will also strengthen coordination with regional partners to improve multi-agency enforcement effectiveness and reduce reliance on outside agencies.
In addition, the funds will help target youth prevention by educating kids on cannabis risks and laws through school outreach and community engagement. This initiative will transition Ceres from a reactive, complaint-driven approach to a proactive, data-driven enforcement model.
Ironically the council decided against renewing its contract with Capitol Advocacy, the Washington D.C. based consultant which wrote the application for the grant funding. The council determined last month to cut the firm to pare down expenses and balance the city’s budget.
Chief Johnson said the grant covers a five-year period ending on June 30, 2031. He said the grant will help keep one of three code enforcement officers whose jobs were going away with the exhaustion of ARPA funds. That officer will be trained in dealing with enforcing cannabis regulations.
The grant is from the $227 million doled out as part of the fourth batch of grants.
Other cities receiving the grant include Sacramento which is putting together a multi-department initiative to reduce illicit cannabis activity. San Diego County is using its grant award for a targeted enforcement team to identify and dismantle illegal networks in coordination with federal, state, and commercial stakeholders.
The Proposition 64 Public Health and Safety Grant Program was established in 2016 through the voter-approved Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act. This cohort of awards was made in a variety of size-based categories with all projects addressing one or more of four cannabis related focus areas: public safety/enforcement, youth prevention/intervention, public health, or environmental impacts.
As part of the 2025 Budget Act, eligibility for grant funding was expanded to support more local jurisdictions in addressing cannabis-related public safety challenges. Under the updated criteria, a local government is eligible for funding if it permits retail cannabis storefront sales or, for jurisdictions with populations of 10,000 residents or fewer, allows cannabis delivery serving both medicinal and adult-use consumers.
Previous grantees that used funds for enforcement activities eradicated nearly one million illegal cannabis plants, seized 295 illegal firearms, and disrupted illicit cannabis operations that threatened public safety and undermined regulated cannabis market.
“These grant awards reflect California’s continued commitment to supporting local communities as they address the impacts of cannabis legalization,” said BSCC Board Chair Linda Penner. “Communities are best positioned to identify and address the unique challenges they face, and this funding will help local governments advance strategies that protect residents, strengthen public health, and enhance public safety.”
The BSCC provides services to the county adult and juvenile systems through a variety of programs, including the administration of a wide range of public safety, re-entry, violence reduction, and rehabilitative grants to state and local governments and community-based organizations.
