FY 2008 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 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 Municipality of San Juan, serving as the fiscal agent for the District of Puerto Rico, will use the grant to reduce gun violence and gun-related crimes by developing partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies, non-profit entities, and community-based programs. The initiative will target and apprehend fugitives wanted for gang-related and weapons trafficking offenses, and encourage youth by providing access to positive activities that have been successful in preventing violence, illegal firearms use, and drug use. The district's strategy will be accomplished with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service's Puerto Rico Fugitive Task Force (PRFTF). PRFTF is comprised of highly skilled, elite criminal investigators, Deputy United States Marshals, and officers from local law enforcement agencies.

The district will fund the activities described in the following sentences. The Alliance for a Drug-Free Puerto Rico will provide behavior-shaping workshops to youth housed in juvenile institutions due to illegal firearms and gang-related offenses. The workshops will focus on decision-making, peer pressure, resiliency, self esteem, dealing with rejection, and drug and violence prevention. The San Juan Municipal Police Department will create a School Safety Task Force starting with six middle and high schools located in high crime communities in San Juan. Police officers will conduct workshops on the consequences of carrying a firearm. The Ponce Police Department will provide recreational activities such as basketball and volleyball tournaments, arts and crafts lessons, and transportation for youth from the poverty stricken north side of Ponce. The Puerto Rico Institute of Forensic Sciences will perform test firings on seized and found firearms, process required case documents, and enter firearm-casing images into two computerized Brass Trax units and one Integrated Ballistics Identification System.

NCA/NCF