Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2007, $493,124)
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 Minnesota Department of Public Safety, serving as the fiscal agent for the District of Minnesota, will use the Fiscal Year 2007 Anti-Gang Initiative grant to support law enforcement efforts to combat youth and gang violence in the seven counties that compose the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Minnesota's gang problems have increased with newer gang members moving in to commit illegal acts such as distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana; engaging in prostitution; and stealing and chopping cars. Investigators also report a marked increase in crack cocaine distribution by various gangs. To combat this situation, the Anti-Gang Initiative will fund the following activities: improving the capacity to conduct effective gang investigations by providing necessary training for gang investigators; improving investigative outcomes by increasing case-related communication and coordination among gang investigators and law enforcement task forces and agencies; reducing youth gang involvement by improving gang prevention and intervention efforts in the seven-county metro area; and increasing the capacity of law enforcement to investigate, apprehend, and convict violent offenders by heightening community awareness of gang related crime and prevention methods.
NCA/NCF