Vermont 2007 Project Safe Neighborhoods Anti-Gang Initiative

The Anti-Gang Initiative provides funds to support new or expanded anti-gang enforcement and prevention efforts under the existing Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Initiative. These new funds may be used by the PSN task force to combat gangs by leveraging current strategies and partnerships developed under PSN initiatives or may be used to develop new anti-gang initiatives. The Anti-Gang initiative will be led by the United States Attorney in each of the 94 federal judicial districts across America. Grant funds will be awarded to a single fiscal agent in each of the 94 districts. The fiscal agent, in coordination with the PSN task force, will allocate the funds throughout the community to support the anti-gang initiative in that community.

The Vermont Department of Public Safety will use the FY 2007 Anti-Gang Initiative funds to address the complex gang problem in Vermont. The small size of Vermont allows for media attention to be immediately drawn to criminals, with obvious affiliations to gangs, who become involved in criminal activity and are apprehended by law enforcement. Vermont will use the funds to continue to support the Vermont Fusion Center to develop a process to analyze the gang related information and intelligence gathered in the state, so that it may be useful for law enforcement planning. In addition, they will continue funding a gun storage feasibility study; state police liaison investigator; overtime; and support the purchase, installation, training activities and periodic upgrades related to software and database programs to be used to gather data on gang criminality.

NCA/NCF