Suppression and prevention efforts for the Bronx and Manhattan, NY.

PROGRAM ABSTRACT - Project Safe Neighborhoods FY 2022

APPLICANT: THE ROSAMOND GIFFORD CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, Inc.

126 N. Salina Street, Syracuse, New York 13202

PROJECT: Southern District of New York PSN Enforcement Enhancement – Boroughs of Bronx and Manhattan

CATEGORY: 1

DISTRICT POPULATION: 5.1 million

FEDERAL FUNDS REQUESTED: $173,493

PROJECT PERIOD: October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025

RESEARCH PARTNER: John Finn Institute for Public Safety

The Southern District of New York (SDNY) comprises approximately 5.1 million people, in a diverse geographic, ethnic, and socio-economic landscape. Gang activity and gun violence continue to be serious threats to public safety in many of our communities. The majority of the district’s community violence stems from drug trafficking and gang activity and in particular disputes between rival crews or gangs. As a whole, New York City has experienced a precipitous increase in gun violence since the pandemic began, which a small group of prolific offenders has predominantly driven. Within the SDNY, the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx have been particularly hard hit. For example, shooting incidents in Manhattan increased 86 percent from 2019 to 2021. Shooting homicides in Manhattan experienced a similarly troubling trend rising 35 percent between 2019 and 2020 and a further 22 percent between 2020 and 2021. The Bronx is experiencing similarly serious increases in gun violence. Shooting incidents in the Bronx increased 75 percent between 2019 and 2020 and rose again between 2020 and 2021 (32.6 percent increase). Shooting homicides in the Bronx increased 53.8 percent between 2019 and 2020 and a sharp 88.3 percent between 2020 and 2021.

SDNY proposes to direct PSN funds toward these two NYC Boroughs to assist the City Police Department and its gang task force partners in their efforts to enhance analytical capacity. This ability will significantly enhance the NYPD's current targeted and prioritized gun violence enforcement and intervention efforts. In order to identify chronic violent offenders that are at highest risk for being involved in future shooting incidents, the NYPD created the Gun Recidivist Investigation Program (GRIP). Given the fact that over half of the GRIP subjects have confirmed gang/crew affiliations, the NYPD will focus much more than 30% of the PSN funding to support high-level analytical and technological efforts within the NYC CGIC to inform and drive its gang-related gun violence and gang interdiction efforts within the Bronx and Manhattan.