Nassau County Project Safe Neighborhoods Community Based Initiative

The Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) will help communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provide for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. This competitive grant announcement focuses on initiatives in eight areas: 1) preventing and reducing violent crime through community-based data-driven approaches; 2) providing funding for neighborhood-based probation and parole officers; 3) reducing mortgage fraud and crime related to vacant properties; 4) hiring of civilian support personnel in law enforcement (training staff, analysts, dispatchers, etc.); 5) enhancing forensic and crime scene investigations; 6) improving resources and services for victims of crime; 7) supporting problem-solving courts; and 8) national training and technical assistance partnerships.

Under category 1, Nassau County will use the grant award to expand its comprehensive community-based, data-driven approaches to prevent and reduce violent crime. Partnering under this award, the Nassau County Police Department and District Attorney's Office will reduce violent crime using enforcement, investigation, and prosecution. Nassau County will implement the following strategies: retain experienced detectives in the Special Investigation Squad Gang Unit; retain Assistant District Attorneys assigned to the Street Narcotics and Gang Bureau; hire police analysts for the department's Lead Development Center and the Special Investigation Squad; deploy members on overtime to enforce and investigate violent crimes committed with illegal firearms or by subjects with gang associations; and conduct community outreach programs to deliver an anti-gun violence and anti-gang message to at-risk youth. The county has established the following objectives: 1) identify, interview, investigate, and hire potential applicants in accordance with county civil service procedures; 2) conduct training for new hires; 3) use training to perform job duties as required; 4) retain experienced, sworn detectives; 5) retain experienced District Attorneys; 6) deploy targeted patrols to hot spots identified through intelligence-based data analysis; 7) conduct indepth investigations into violent criminal enterprises; and 8) conduct community outreach programs.

CA/CF