Wisconsin Eastern District BJA FY 24 Project Safe Neighborhoods

On behalf of the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), the State Administering Agency (SAA) will serve as the fiscal agent for United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) funding to support and build on existing efforts that address violent crime.  
 
Violent crimes involving firearms continue to plague many Milwaukee neighborhoods. Milwaukee has experienced high rates of homicides and non-fatal shootings since 2014 with a significant increase between 2019 and 2023. Within Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) has identified two significant sources that are responsible for violent firearm crime: (1) organized violent groups and (2) individuals who consistently engage in firearm-related crimes.  The PSN Task Force will focus on these groups for targeted investigations and prosecutions and augmented local efforts that have reduced violence in our Target Area.
The PSN Task Force is a strong partnership of a number of agencies, including the following: Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, Milwaukee Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Milwaukee County Community Justice Council, Wisconsin DOJ Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Medical College of Wisconsin.  To address firearm violence in Milwaukee, the Eastern District of Wisconsin's strategy includes: (1) Enhancing community engagement; (2) Assisting in focused prosecution of the high-risk firearm offenders and groups; and (3) Implementing and in firearm violence deterrence programs.