Southern District of Ohio's Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative

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 Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force for the Southern District of Ohio will continue to inform law enforcement agencies and community representatives across the 48 county districts of the value of coordinating and combining resources to combat violent gun crime. The Task Force also seeks to reward success by providing effective operations with PSN funding to achieve specific and measurable goals. The Southern District's 2008 strategy includes the following elements: (1) enhanced coordination between federal and state prosecutors in Hamilton County to determine the most appropriate venue to charge gun crimes; (2) continued aggressive enforcement against entrenched gangs in Columbus, Hamilton, and Dayton and concentrated efforts where gangs are most active; (3) continued efforts to reach out to targeted communities affected by gang violence with the goal of building stronger police/community relations through multi-agency outreach groups in Dayton and the Hispanic community in Hamilton; (4) support for the creation of the Miami Valley Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence to implement an outreach program to reduce violence; and (5) continued focus on fugitive apprehension efforts on gang and gun crime felons district-wide. The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office will continue the assistant county prosecutor position that is dedicated to gun and gang crime prosecutions. The Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) will continue its efforts to identify and pursue fugitives, share intelligence with local law enforcement, and emphasize gun and gang affiliations. The Columbus Violent Crime Impact Team will continue disrupting and dismantling gangs responsible for the majority of gun crimes in its precincts. The Hamilton Police Department will continue its efforts to disrupt activities of Hispanic gangs through enforcement and community outreach. The Dayton Police Department will support the development of the Miami Valley Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence.

NCA/CF