FY 2021 PSN Northern District

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) will allocate funds for the Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program, also known as Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) to support the United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Florida (NDFL).  Funds will be used to reduce violent crime including felonious firearm crimes, criminal gang violence and preventing future criminal activities within the NDFL hotspots.

The proposed project period is October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2024.

The primary crime driver is the continued threat of violent gun and gang crime in the NDFL.  Geographic focus of the intervention(s) and strategies will be the violent crime hot spots to be determined within the NDFL. 30 percent of the funding will be used for collaborative, coordinated law enforcement efforts focused on criminal and/or transnational organizations as mandated by the FY2021 federal solicitation.

The NDFL PSN strategy will address challenges facing at-risk youth, violent crime reduction, gang activity, recidivism, and firearm offenses.  The strategy will focus on community coalitions, mass media strategies, and initiatives designed to create and foster safer neighborhoods through sustained reduction in violent crime and reduced recidivism.

Research partners for the NDFL may include federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the USAO, and academic research partners.  Other research partners may be established through subgrant applications to be submitted to BJA for approval, as part of the NDFL PSN program strategy.

The key partners for this project have direct knowledge of the criminal activities and the criminals in the targeted hot spot areas.  The task forces in Tallahassee (Leon County), Gainesville (Alachua County) and Pensacola (Escambia County) are collaborative investigative/prosecution groups joining the NDFL and Assistant State Attorneys with representatives from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  These agencies include but are not limited to Alcohol, Beverage and Tobacco; Drug Enforcement Agency; Federal Bureau of Investigation; FDLE; the Leon County Sheriff’s Office; Florida State University and the Pensacola Police Department.