Project Safe Neighborhoods Strategic Action Plan

U.S. Virgin Islands Project Safe Neighborhoods Strategic Action Plan (SAP – FY -2023)

Application No. O-BJA-2023-171572

Project Abstract

Pursuant to Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands (USAO-VI) has been designated as the Adviser to the U.S. Virgin Islands Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force.

The Task Force continue to address violent crime within the communities that have been affected the hardest.  Together they develop and implement strategies to address violent crime through coordinated enforcement, intervention, prevention, and reentry initiative within the United States Virgin Islands (USVI).  Based on the Administration’s violent crime reduction strategy that is built on newly articulated core principles, The PSN Task Force continue to work towards fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, support community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, set focus and strategic enforcement priorities, and measure the outcome of our efforts.

The PSN Task Force consists of members that represents both the local and federal law enforcement agencies, the local Attorney General’s Office, Virgin Islands Housing Authority, members of the faith-based community, a fiscal agent, and community-based organizations. 

The following agencies are represented:

• Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

• Caribbean Centers for Boys & Girls /    Boys and Girls Club

• Crime Stoppers VI

• Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

• Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

• Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA)

• U.S. Postal Inspection Service

• U.S. Marshals Service

• Virgin Islands Department of Justice

• Virgin Islands Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council (DVSAC)

• Virgin Islands Housing Authority (VIHA)

• Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD)

• Weed and Seed Youth Program

The Law Enforcement Planning Commission (LEPC) serves as the fiscal agent for the Project Safe Neighborhoods grant. LEPC, serves as the state administering agency for the United States Virgin Islands. 

The proposed project period will be from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2025. The grant will serve the territory of the United States Virgin Islands. 

For this project, LEPC will adhere to guidelines for creation of rubrics for evaluating eligibility/merit, adherence to the four (4) PSN design features, and capabilities and competencies for implementing the proposed strategy. The PSN Selection Committee will provide recommendations based on independent application review, and LEPC will submit all sub awards to BJA, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program for final approval.