FY22 Federal Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant

Activities/Products/Deliverables:

The District of Kansas (DOK) grant strategies will address criminal organizations through prevention, intervention, suppression/enforcement, and community engagement/outreach programs related to violent issues.  The specific violent crime issues addressed with the grant strategies will include gang, gun, drug, and domestic violence, with particular emphasis on juvenile violent crime.   Incidents of gun violence will focus on felons in possession of firearms, juveniles in possession of firearms, gang-related incidents, domestic violence, and drug-related incidents. A priority focal concern will be on shooting incidents and homicides involving a firearm. Successfully addressing violent crime in DOK requires reducing the violent crime associated with the sale and distribution of illegal narcotics and the distribution/possession of firearms among known felons. This grant funding will provide an opportunity to advance efforts from previous PSN grant years and build a stronger foundation to reduce violent crime in the DOK. The focus of 2022 PSN funds will be on the continued efforts of PSN 2021 which is ceasefire, focused deterrence for call-in message delivery/focus enforcement efforts on offenders, utilization and purchasing additional licenses of Nighthawk Forensic Software, training, equipment, and overtime to support: community engagement, proactive special assignments, gang intelligence, targeted enforcement for violent criminals, and apprehension.  Additionally, adding equipment needed for enforcement to gather evidence and intelligence for components of Real-Time Crime Centers and/or warrants for prevention and enforcement. Directed enforcement opportunities/special assignments would include case specific investigations generated from NIBIN leads to target violent gun offenders. Lastly, funding would be used for outreach to the community and stakeholders regarding DOK’s PSN efforts as well as efforts to reduce violent crime.  This outreach will include hosting community meetings, trainings for stakeholders and community across the DOK, marketing/community engagement/gang prevention efforts and awareness information such as billboards and brochures.

Service Area/Who will Benefit:

District of Kansas shall direct their PSN efforts two specific target locations: City of Wichita Garden City, Kansas. These two locations were selected based upon of their above average violent crimes rates, their unique populations, and geographic locations.

Research Partner: Wichita State University Midwest Criminal Justice Institute

Other key partners: Wichita Police Department (WPD), Garden City Police Department (GCPD), Sedgwick County Corrections Division, Sedgwick Co. SO, ATF, FBI, DEA, Sedgwick Co. District Attorney’s Office, Finney Co. District Attorney’s Office, PPMC-WSU, USAO-District of Kansas, and US Marshals Service