Gang and Gun Violence Suppression Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The Pomona Police Department will use Fiscal Year 2007 Byrne Discretionary Targeting Violent Crime Initiative funding to reduce delinquency and gang activity among juveniles, to reduce violent gang-related crimes, and to utilize technology to predict, document, and analyze crime patterns and criminal offenders. The first component will consist of using the Crime Analysis Unit to identify hot spots to provide a data-driven approach to field operations. The second component will draw on the data gathered to conduct street intelligence gathering and proactive surveillance in order to identify the most active gangs and 'tag bangers' - graffiti taggers who have been increasingly involved in gun violence crimes related to turf disputes. The third component will consist of the purchase of the Integrated Biometric Identification Systems (IBIS) Mobile Identification System and digital cameras to combine fingerprint and photo information in order to accurately identify suspects detained in the field, and ultimately to assist officers in investigations with the increased information contained in the offender database.

CA/NCF