Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2008, $94,065)
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide commitment to reducing gun crime, links existing local programs together and provides them with necessary tools. PSN takes a hard line against gun criminals, using every available means to create safer neighborhoods; seeks to achieve heightened coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement; and 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 Lexington Fayette Urban County Government, serving as the fiscal agent for the Eastern District of Kentucky, will use the grant towards acquiring the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) as the standard ballistics imaging technology for the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN); overtime costs to local and state law enforcement officers for their work on firearms-related criminal investigations; PSN and Anti-Gang related training for local and state law enforcement; expansion of proactive prosecution efforts; outreach efforts aimed at preventing youth from engaging in gun and gang violence; and research and data analysis relating to gun and gang related criminal activity in Fayette County.
Funds will be allocated to the Commonwealth Attorney's Offices in Kenton, Fayette, Lincoln, Rockcastle, and Pulaski counties. These offices prosecute the majority of violent gun and gang crimes in the district. Fayette County Commonwealth Attorney's Office will pay salaries for a staff person to support the efforts of the Cease-Fire program. Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney's Office will pay salaries for staff to review and prosecute gun-related cases in their office. Funds will also be used to assist with outreach efforts aimed at reducing gun and gang-related criminal activity. The Commonwealth Attorney's Office will pay salaries for staff to review gun-related cases for potential federal prosecution and prosecute state gun and gang-related cases in Laurel, Rockcastle, and Pulaski counties. They will also assist with outreach efforts aimed at reducing gun and gang-related criminal activity. Outreach and prevention efforts to be supported includes the creation of a gang prevention public service announcement focused on elementary and middle school aged children and the implementation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program in eleven middle schools which have been identified by school officials and law enforcement as having the most significant need for the program.
Gun and gang-related crime data with crime mapping and analysis will be collected by funding a research expert with a background in criminology to gather, analyze, and present gun and gang-related crime information to local and state law enforcement and prosecutors. Funds will be utilized for salary and the necessary materials to create crime maps.
NCA/NCF