2009 Project Safe Neighborhoods Western District of Virginia

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 Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, serving as the fiscal agent for the Western District of Virginia (WDVA), will use the grant to build upon its existing PSN strategy in the areas of partnerships, operations, and outreach. The WDVA will continue funding a special prosecutor retained through the Radford Commonwealth's Attorney's Office as a PSN coordinator. The prosecutor focuses on prosecuting illegal firearm and violent crime defendants in the seven federal courts in the WDVA and coordinates PSN efforts throughout the district. Additionally, funds will be used to continue a Special Assistant US Attorney position (SAUSA) in the Harrisonburg Commonwealth's Attorney Office to prosecute gang and gun-related crimes in the district. These positions will coordinate with the 2008 PSN and anti-gang sub-grantees to provide a network of law enforcement and prosecution services focused on reducing gang and gun crimes. The U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to review gun crime reduction efforts to measure the program's impact on reducing crime and its long-term effect.

NCA/NCF