2007 Project Safe Neighborhoods Project

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 Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice will use FY07 PSN funds to address the increasing number of gun and gang violence incidents in Omaha and Lincoln, as well as the problem of domestic violence offenders who possess firearms.

The District of Nebraska will fund the following initiatives: 1) The Lincoln Police Department will fund overtime for police, probation, and parole officers to conduct proactive specialized operations for 15 Night-Light Operations, which consist of home visits to individuals on probation, parole, and current Drug Court participants, and nine CeaseFire Operations in known gun hot spots; 2) The Douglas County Attorney's Office will fund a dedicated gun and gang prosecutor who will aid in prosecutions and provide improved tracking of violent gun offenders in the criminal justice system, as well as be an active member of the PSN Firearms Case Screening Team, which scrutinizes all gun cases to determine which case prosecutions would most benefit from forensic attention; 3) The Nebraska State Patrol Laboratory will fund overtime for a technician to conduct examinations on seized guns to improve the quality of prosecutions and contribute to the IBIS and NIBINS databases, and shelving equipment to store the seized guns; and 4) The University of Nebraska at Omaha Juvenile Justice Institute will continue data collection and program evaluation for the District.

NCA/NCF