2009 Project Safe Neighborhod Gun Crime Reduction and Anti-Gang Project

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 Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, serving as the fiscal agent for the District of Nebraska, will use the grant to fund programs that address the increasing number of gun and gang violence incidents in the cities of Omaha and Lincoln. The Douglas County Attorney's Office will receive funding for a prosecutor to work directly with the Omaha Police Department's Gang Unit to identify violent gang members and ensure they are dealt with rigorously in the criminal justice system for their violent crimes. Overtime will be provided for the Omaha Police Department and the Nebraska State Patrol's Crime Labs to ease the backlog of cases for both Integrated and National Ballistics Identification Systems and (IBIS/NIBIN) and DNA testing. Additionally, the district will focus on the following anti-gang initiatives: 1) reduce gun assaults involving gang members in north and south Omaha through enforcement, investigative, and intelligence sharing efforts; 2) control upswings and spikes in gang against gang violence in north and south Omaha; 3) increase Federal and State prosecution of gang members involved with gun crimes or illegal drug activity; 4) assist Omaha's neighboring city of Bellevue with investigations involving graffiti, gang, and gun violence; 5) continued tracing and tracking of all crime guns, specifically those seized from gang members and those found in the hands of juveniles; 6) promote and assist with the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program for youth in the Omaha metropolitan area; 7) continue the use of media outreach to promote the gun crime reduction and anti-gun violence theme in area schools; 8) increase the community involvement against gang and gun crime through community events sponsored by PSN and Weed and Seed; and 9) increase the number of trainings for law enforcement officers and prosecutors involved in the PSN initiative.

NCA/NCF