Coordinated effort to identify and reduce gangs and gang related activity.

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.

Arkansas for a Safer Arkansas serves as the fiscal agent for the Eastern District of Arkansas's Fiscal Year 2007 Anti-Gang Initiative. The District will use this grant to support law enforcement efforts to combat gang violence in the City of Little Rock. The city currently has 30 active street gangs operating within the city limits with several hundred members. Crimes such as homicide, aggravated robbery, narcotics dealing, and criminal mischief have become a constant reminder of the presence of these criminal organizations. During the past two years, 33 homicides have occurred, 18 of which have documented gang involvement. To combat this situation, the District will use the Anti-Gang Initiative to fund the following activities: increase the amount of overtime to police officers to patrol areas of known gang activity; sponsor training (by the Little Rock Police Department Intelligence Unit) for patrol officers and offer training for community groups on identifying gangs, tattoos, colors, and graffiti; and provide a gang 'expert' to present effective methods of recognizing gang members and address proven procedures for arrest and prosecution.

NCA/NCF