Project Safe Neighborhoods for Eastern District of Kentucky

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 Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG), serving as the fiscal agent for the Eastern District of Kentucky, will use the grant to fund Project Cease-Fire task forces, current outreach and training programs, and proactive prosecution efforts with a focus on gang-related crimes in order to prevent and reduce gun and gang-related violence. LFUCG will fund overtime and training for law enforcement officers to work on gun and gang-related criminal investigations. The grant will purchase ballistics imaging technology to enter and compare questioned casings and bullets into the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS). LFUCG will also continue funding for outreach efforts aimed at educating youth in order to deter them from future acts of gun and gang violence, as well as fund the collection of statistical data relevant to gun and gang-related criminal activity in Lexington, London, and Covington. Finally, the grant will partially fund prosecutors in Commonwealth Attorney's Offices in Kenton, Fayette, Lincoln, Rockcastle, and Pulaski counties, which prosecute the majority of violent gun and gang crimes in the District. A request for proposals will be issued soliciting applications from law enforcement agencies, schools, and other non-profits agencies. Law enforcement agencies will be invited to apply for overtime funds, while schools and other youth-serving agencies will be invited to apply for funds to conduct outreach and preventive programs.

NCA/NCF