Project Safe Neighborhoods Southern District of California FY 07 Grant

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 California Southern District recently changed the fiscal agent for the PSN grant to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). As a result, the FY 07 PSN grant funds are being re-awarded to SANDAG to build and sustain multi-agency coordination and community engagement in order to reduce gun crime and gun violence. The California Southern District will fund programs that increase the investigation and prosecution of the illegal sale and possession of firearms, and train the law enforcement community on PSN, prosecution protocols, and Federal firearms laws and investigation techniques through train-the-trainer sessions, distribution of a DVD, and regional firearms workshops. Additionally, the district will conduct community outreach by: 1) producing and distributing PSN radio and television public service announcements to local media outlets; 2) conducting five community education forums in the target areas of San Diego, North County, El Centro, East County, and South Bay; 3) distributing PSN posters and book covers to schools, recreation centers, and businesses; and displaying PSN ads on billboards and bus stops in the target areas; 4) securing billboard and bus stop space for PSN ads in San Diego, North County, East County, and South Bay; and 5) conducting in-person school visits by a juvenile judge, prosecutor, police officer, probation officer, ex-offender, and victim.

NCA/NCF