Project Safe Neighborhoods - Eastern District of North Carolina

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 North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, serving as the fiscal agent for the Eastern District of North Carolina, will use the grant to continue funding current gun crime and gang prevention initiatives. Columbus and Bladen Counties will fund a full-time senior investigator to run gun traces, review cases for recommendation to the Attorney General for Federal prosecution, and coordinate numerous programs throughout the sheriffs departments and communities. Fayetteville and Cumberland Counties will continue Operation Ceasefire, which utilizes newspaper, billboards, and sports venues to convey their gun crime reduction message and will pay for media-related services. The Sheriff's Office in Greenville and Pitt Counties will purchase equipment for various law enforcement operations to monitor gang-related activities as well as gun show surveillance. Education materials will also be purchased for the Bully Prevention Program, Hoops and Hope Basketball Program, and Gang Resistance Intervention and Prevention (GRIP) Program. The Lumberton Police Department will continue funding a full-time community resource coordinator to assist in managing community, media, and education programs. Passage Home, a faith-based community development corporation, will fund a youth sports and leadership program to provide an alternative to gang involvement for at-risk youth between the ages of 15-19 years old living in the Weed and Seed target area of Raleigh. The Wilmington Police Department will fund officer overtime for the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) and re-entry programs within the city. The Wilson Police Department will continue an advertising campaign throughout Wilson County and fund officer overtime for a youth gun violence education program.

NCA/NCF