Project Safe Neighborhoods, Western District

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide commitment to reducing gun crime, links existing local programs together and provides them with necessary tools. PSN 1) takes a hard line against gun criminals, using every available means to create safer neighborhoods; 2) seeks to achieve heightened coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement; and 3) emphasizes tactical intelligence gathering, more aggressive prosecutions, and enhanced accountability through performance measures. The United States Attorney in each federal judicial district will lead the offensive. The fiscal agent, in coordination with the PSN Task Force, will allocate funds throughout the community.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will use FY07 PSN funds to combat a dramatic increase in illegal gun possession in the Western District. The District will fund the following initiatives: 1) the Pittsburgh Police Department, which will provide overtime for two Sergeants and 12 Detectives for directed patrols, and one Intelligence/Crime Analysis Detective to assist in the gathering, analysis, and presentation of data on gun and drug activity; 2) the Forensic Lab of the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office to provide overtime to decrease the backlog of firearms cases awaiting forensic analysis and submission to NIBIN; 3) the Allegheny County Police to continue funding the position of an Evidence Gun Specialist for tracing gun crimes from local law enforcement using the ATF's e-trace system; and 4) the City of Erie to address the increasing incidences of criminal activity involving guns and juvenile delinquency in the City through saturated patrols and community policing activities, and to upgrade the City's crime mapping software and training.

NCA/NCF