Arizona Project Safe Neighborhoods

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 Arizona Criminal Justice Commission will use FY07 PSN funds to deter gang and gun crime activity, seize illegal weapons, and build the data infrastructure in the District. Specifically, the District will: 1) provide overtime funds to local law enforcement agencies to target special investigations focused on gang and gun violence and to share intelligence with the task force; 2) provide overtime funding for trained personnel to test and enter firearm forensic evidence into NIBIN in order to reduce the existing backlog; and 3) build on the gun violence prevention campaigns developed using previous PSN funding by delivering the prevention message targeting youth in four high-crime neighborhoods and building a media network for greater exposure through the presentation of the prevention message in English and Spanish at schools and community events.

NCA/NCF