Project Safe Neighborhoods Report 2010

8/7/2019 Project Safe Neighborhoods Report 2010

1/123

PSN in Practice II

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA 1

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA 2

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA 3

DISTRICT OF ALASKA 4

DISTRICT OF ARIZONA 7

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS 8

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS 9

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 9

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 11

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 13

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 14

DISTRICT OF COLORADO 15

DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT 16

DISTRICT OF DELAWARE 19

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 20

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA 22

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA 23


2/123

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA 25

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA 27

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA 28

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA 30

DISTRICTS OF GUAM AND

THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS 31

DISTRICT OF HAWAII 32

DISTRICT OF IDAHO 33

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS 35

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS 36

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS 37

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA 38

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA 39

NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN DISTRICTS OF IOWA 40

DISTRICT OF KANSAS 41

EASTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY 42

WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY 43

EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA 44

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA 46

WESTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA 47

DISTRICT OF MAINE 49

DISTRICT OF MARYLAND 50

DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS 52

EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN 54

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN 56

DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA 57


3/123

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI 58

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI 60

EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI 61

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI 62

DISTRICT OF MONTANA 63

DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA 64

DISTRICT OF NEVADA 65

DISTRICT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE 66

DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY 66

DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO 68

EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK 70

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK 71

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK 73

WESTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK 73

EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA 75

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA 76

WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA 78

DISTRICT OF NORTH DAKOTA 78

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO 79

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO 80

EASTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA 81

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA 82

WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA 83

DISTRICT OF OREGON 83

EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA 85


4/123

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA 86

WESTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA 87

DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO 88

DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND 88

DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA 90

DISTRICT OF SOUTH DAKOTA 92

EASTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE 93

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE 95

WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE 96

EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS 97

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS 98

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS 100

WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS 101

DISTRICT OF UTAH 103

DISTRICT OF VERMONT 104

DISTRICT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 105

EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA 106

WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA 109

EASTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON 110

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON 111

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA 112

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA 113

EASTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN 114

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN 116

DISTRICT OF WYOMING 118


5/123

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

The three U.S. Attorneys Offices (USAOs)located in Alabama have implementedProject Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)

statewide, forming partnerships with eachother and with law enforcement, state andlocal agencies, and communityorganizations. The resulting coalition,Alabama ICE (Isolate the CriminalElement), is a powerhouse network with anextensive range of resources and tools foreffectively addressing firearms violence.

When President Bush declared gun crimereduction a top domestic priority, the Middle

District of Alabama (MDAL) devised itslocal Alabama ICE initiative. In the MiddleDistrict of Alabama, Alabama ICEestablished a task force to coordinatefederal, state, and local law enforcementofficials and prosecutors and communityleaders to reduce gun crime. The result hasbeen a significant increase in gun crimeprosecutions, which has deterred gunviolence and other violent crimes throughoutthe district.

MDAL recognized early on that aggressivefederal prosecution of gun crimes inAlabama would act as a deterrent for threereasons. First, the federal firearm statutesare much tougher than their statecounterparts, imposing significantly longersentences. Second, offenders serve almosttheir entire sentences in the federal prisonsystem, as there is no parole. Third, casesproceed to trial more quickly in the federalsystem than in the state system, whichensures that offenders are removed from thestreets more quickly. In short, theenforcement efforts of Alabama ICE sendthe message that gun crime means hard time,and that message is reinforced throughMDALs vigorous media campaigns.

MDAL and its PSN partners have done anoutstanding job of increasing federalprosecution of gun crimes. Fiscal year 2005closed with MDAL attaining its highestnumber of PSN indictments to date. The

number of gun crimes prosecuted under 18U.S.C. 922 and 924 by MDAL in FY 2005increased over 37% from FY 2004 andrepresents a 660% increase since theinception of the districts PSN program.PSN defendants are receiving an averagesentence of over six years in prison,demonstrating that MDAL continues totarget the most violent repeat offendersthrough its Alabama ICE initiative. In thelast year, the offenders prosecuted included

a kidnaper/rapist, armed car jackers, armedbank robbers, and a corrupt federal firearmslicensee. An overwhelming majority oftheir ICE convictions (over 90%) aresecured through guilty pleas.

An integral part of Alabama ICE is intensivetraining of state and local law enforcementon the ICE initiative and federal gunstatutes, which leads to an increased numberof cases being referred for federalprosecution. Requests for officer trainingcontinue to flood MDAL and areaccommodated by the USAO for the MDALand the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Generally,500 to 750 officers receive PSN trainingannually, and the training is now part of theMontgomery Police Academys regularcurriculum. Their state and locals partnershave embraced and supported the initiative.

MDAL uses PSN community engagementgrants to further PSN interests and achieveProject Sentry objectives. Last year, MDALawarded PSN grants to ten applicants,including eight different programs designedto accomplish Project Sentry objectives orprovide services to victims of domesticviolence, and two prisoner reentry programs.

1


6/123

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

One grantee was Montgomery AreaCrimestoppers, which used PSN grantmoney to sponsor crime prevention and anti-violence functions at area schools.Crimestoppers established an anonymous tip

line for students to report illegal activity,including the possession of guns and otherweapons. It also distributed comic strips,pencils, posters, stickers, tattoos, and similaritems to educate juveniles on gun safety andviolence reduction. Through the partnershipwith Crimestoppers, MDAL reachesapproximately 5,000 students every sixmonths with a message of anti-violence andgun safety.

PSN grants are also used to support asummer program called Street SMART,which targets at-risk youths between theages of six and 15 in the Dothan/HoustonCounty area and teaches them how to resistgangs. It helps the youths identify gangrecruitment strategies, educates them on thenegative consequences of gang involvement,and teaches them resistance and survivalskills.

PSN grants are also awarded to theMontgomery County District AttorneysOffice to help fund its GRAVE (GettingReal About Violence and its Effects)program. This program is aimed ataggressively educating first-time juvenileweapons offenders on the impact of violencein the community, the consequences ofchoices involving violence, and acceptableconflict resolution alternatives. Theprogram requires attendance by the juvenilesand their parents on four weekend days.

The result of MDALs successfulpartnerships, prosecutions and outreachinitiatives has been a tangible reduction inviolent crime in the district. Since theinception of Alabama ICE in MDAL,Montgomery crime statistics show a 38%

reduction in both attemptedhomicides/homicides and robberies betweencalendar year 2002 and 2004, and a 24%drop in assaults in the same time frame.

Alabama ICE is a critical law enforcementtool in this district. MDAL will continue toput forth its best effort through extensivemedia outreach, training, identification andprosecution of PSN cases, and through theformation of new partnerships, to ensure thecontinued success of Alabama ICE.

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

With the implementation of Project Safe

Neighborhoods (PSN), the Northern Districtof Alabama experienced a 75% increase infederal prosecutions of firearms offensesbetween FY 2000 and FY 2004. Violentcrime experienced a converse trend. In1999, Birmingham had the eighth highesthomicide rate among similar cities. By2002, Birmingham had fallen out of the topten deadliest cities. Such results haveprompted praise from local officials.According to Robert L. Burrell, DistrictAttorney (DA) for Morgan County: Theimplementation of the ICE (Isolate theCriminal Element)/FREEZE program inMorgan County has had an impact fargreater than could have been expected insuch a short time. . . . The districts localprogram has had an enormous impact on themorale of local law enforcement at a timewhen Alabamas financial crisis hasincreased the speed of the states revolvingdoor penal system. Frankly, ICE/FREEZEhas given us all a sense of a team approachto fighting crime that has been sadly lackingin the past.

In August 2005, 12 federal indictments werereturned which arose from a successfulinitiative, called Operation Gunsmoke.This initiative was a result of the

2


7/123

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

partnerships that formed between theCalhoun County DAs Office, the AnnistonPolice Department, the Calhoun/CleburneDrug and Violent Crime Task Force, theBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and

Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. AttorneysOffice (USAO) for the Northern District ofAlabama. The indictments included chargesof felons and drug users in possession of afirearm, possession of a firearm infurtherance of a drug trafficking crime, andpossession of controlled substances with theintent to distribute. Through the mediacoverage announcing OperationGunsmoke, the clear message of zerotolerance for gun crimes could be sent to

that community.

In February 2006, 11 individuals werecharged in connection with Operation FleaCollar, a two year undercover investigationinto illegal sales of firearms at area fleamarkets. This investigation, which involvedlaw enforcement agencies from 12 countiesin three states, exemplifies the prosecutorialand investigative partnerships Alabama ICEhas formed to stop illegal firearmtrafficking. At the conclusion of theinvestigation, search warrants wereexecuted, and 556 firearms were recovered.The indictments included charges of dealingin firearms without a license, and the sale offirearms to convicted felons and out-of-stateresidents. The district, through thisinvestigations intensive media coverage,received the message that Alabama ICEfocuses on not only the felon who possessesa firearm but on the suppliers who areengaged in illegal gun sales.

The district continues to work on developingan educational curriculum that can bedisseminated to at-risk schools and are stillin the process of networking and analyzingthe feasibility of such a project. Further,they organized a basketball clinic for at-risk

youth in Madison County which provideduseful information relating to gun violenceas well as fundamental basketball skills andare in process of organizing anotherbasketball clinic in Jefferson County.

Recognizing that arrests and prosecutionsalone will not effectively combat gunviolence, the Northern District of Alabamahas implemented a community outreachcampaign to engage the community andeducate citizens about the dangers of gunviolence and the penalties for federalfirearms offenses. The USAO created avideo to educate felony inmates nearingrelease and misdemeanor domestic violence

offenders about the stiff penalties they willface if they are caught with a gun. Thisvideo has been distributed to all statecorrectional institutions and to every DAsOffice in the state. Alabama ICEpresentations have been given atconferences and to groups throughout thedistrict.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

The Southern District of Alabamas ProjectSafe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative,operating under the statewide moniker ofAlabama ICE (Isolate the Criminal Element)has continued to evolve and adapt since itsinception four years ago. The SouthernDistrict of Alabama consists of 13 counties,which include several population centers aswell as large rural areas that contain anumber of small municipalities. Acombination of training efforts, well-founded partnerships, enforcement,successful prosecution, and public outreachhas been at the forefront of the districtsinitiative, and it has proven to be asuccessful combination.

The success of Alabama ICE has beendemonstrated both statistically and

3


8/123

DISTRICT OF ALASKA

anecdotally. The research component ofAlabama ICE was concentrated in the Cityof Mobile because it has the single largestpopulation in the district and because theMobile Police Department (MPD) was able

to provide the crime data necessary toevaluate the initiatives effects. MPDoffered support to all phases of the program.

Their research partner, Dr. Tim OShea ofthe University of South Alabama, hasanalyzed the instances of gun-related crimein Mobile from January 1, 1998, throughOctober 1, 2005. The results of the researchdemonstrate the success of the initiative, oras Dr. OShea said although we cannot say

without qualification that PSN OperationICE explains the decreases in the variouscategories, these findings are certainlyencouraging and suggest that the programhad the intended effect. Total gun crimesfollowing the start of Alabama ICE havedecreased on average by 31 incidents permonth. To put these numbers inperspective, the average number of guncrimes per month over the studied period isapproximately 117 incidents per month.Clearly, a reduction of 31 incidents permonth is substantial and impressive.Violent crimes with a gun have decreased onaverage by 14 incidents per month (from anaverage number of 47 incidents per monthover the entire period). More specifically,robberies with a gun and menacing with agun have decreased on average by nine andseven incidents per month, respectively(with an average number of 36 robberies and32 occurrences of menacing per month overthe entire period).

Not only has Alabama ICE been provensuccessful statistically in Mobile, it has alsoproven successful within the smallercommunities of the Southern District ofAlabama. Local law enforcement agenciesreport that the use of federal firearms laws to

prosecute the worst actors in smallcommunities has had a significant impact onthe safety of their communities. Therereportedly have been instances in whichoffenders apprehended in connection with

drug and firearm offenses have been willingto take responsibility for the drugs but denyany connection to the firearm. The word hasspread that gun crime means hard time.

Extensive training sessions with local lawenforcement agencies have been conductedthroughout the district. The trainingsessions were conducted by a Bureau ofAlcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives(ATF) Special Agent, ATF task force agents

and the Criminal Chief for the U.S.Attorneys Office (USAO) for the SouthernDistrict of Alabama. The sessions wereinteractive and explained how lawenforcement officers should preparefirearms cases for federal prosecution.These training experiences have been verysuccessful, and requests for the trainingsessions around the district continue.

The USAO anticipates the continued successof Alabama ICE. They are confident thatthe partnerships that have been formed, thetraining that has been administered, and thesuccessful prosecutions that have beendocumented will continue to reduce violentcrime and gang activity.

DISTRICT OF ALASKA

Alaska continues to demonstrate itscommitment to coordinating with local,state, and federal law enforcement effortsthroughout the state to prosecute the mostviolent and dangerous firearm offendersunder Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).In Anchorage, the states largest city, thePSN coalition has used crime mapping toidentify hot spots and to focus communityefforts on reducing gun violence.

4


9/123

DISTRICT OF ALASKA

Coordinating with the Project Sentryinitiative, the Anchorage Police Departmenthas teamed up with state probation officersto engage in heightened supervision ofyouthful gun offenders and to coordinate the

referral of firearms cases for prosecution instate or federal court.

The districts aggressive approach tofirearms investigations and prosecutions,combined with the media campaign andcommunity outreach efforts, has sent thestrong message of Hard Time for GunCrime. The U.S. Attorneys Office(USAO) for the District of Alaskascommitment to making communities safer

throughout the large and diverse state ofAlaska is also paying off with more gunprosecution referrals than ever beforecoming from remote and rural towns andvillages. The office has found thatprosecuting the most violent offender in asmall community can have a dramatic andimmediate beneficial impact on the entirecommunity.

Recognizing that Alaska leads the nation infirearm thefts per capita and that firearmstheft is the main source of supply for crimesguns in Alaska, their PSN coalition taskforces developed the Not With My Guncampaign. The campaign encourages lawfulgun owners to protect their firearms fromunauthorized use and theft and to recordimportant information about the firearmsthat they own. Without the requisiteinformation, stolen firearms can not beaccurately identified and reported. Morethan 20,000 self-recording cards weredistributed at community events that allowgun owners to keep their own records of themake, model, and serial numbers of theirguns, so that they have the necessaryinformation to report and recover theirfirearms if they are stolen.

The U.S. Attorney (USA), PSN Coordinator,Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives (ATF) agents, and other PSNcoalition partners regularly attendcommunity council meetings, community

events, faith-based outreach events,sportsman shows, and other activities todiscuss PSN. ATF agents and the PSNCoordinator make presentations to studentsand to a graduate class for teachers. Theimplementation of a Hard Fact mediacampaign, including a bus-board on thelocal city bus, highlighted the mandatoryminimum sentences imposed and aggressiveapproach being taken in firearm crimes intheir state.

The following additional enforcement andoutreach successes further demonstrate howAlaskas PSN coalition has used the PSNinitiative and PSN grant assistance toimprove the quality of life for all Alaskans:

From FY 2000 to FY 2004, federalfirearms prosecutions in the District ofAlaska increased over 94%. The PSNCoalition has targeted and jailed some of

the states most significant offenders.As a result, the average sentence fordefendants charged with federal firearmscrimes in Alaska is now over sevenyears.

Local, state, and federal lawenforcement agencies have focused oninvestigating those involved in shootingincidents and suspected gang-relatedactivity because those offenders often

represent the largest threat to communitysafety. As a result of coordinatedefforts, a series of such offenders weretargeted in a joint Federal Bureau ofInvestigation (FBI), ATF, andAnchorage Police Departmentinvestigation resulting in the successfulprosecution of multiple offenders,

5


10/123

DISTRICT OF ALASKA

including a successful jury trial of oneviolent felon caught purchasing firearmsin the parking lot of a local movietheater.

In other cases, state prosecutors, localpolice, probation officers, and federalauthorities have coordinated to use thefederal firearms laws to prosecutechronic offenders. In one case, theUSAO prosecuted an armed careercriminal who robbed a gas stationconvenience store and its customers witha .45 caliber handgun. The defendantwas sentenced to nearly 16 years infederal prison. In another case, a repeat

offender was charged federally andconvicted by a jury of illegallypossessing a stash of eleven firearms,including a stolen M16 military machinegun.

The PSN task force has also targeteddrug dealers and manufacturers who usefirearms to protect and further theirnarcotics trafficking activities. In onecase, a dispute over payment for a drug

deal resulted in a shootout and the deathof one man. A difficult to overcomeself-defense claim and other obstacles instate court made federal prosecution thebest avenue to address the crimesinvolved. In numerous other cases, drugdealers were successfully prosecuted andsentenced to mandatory minimumsentences for using firearms infurtherance of drug trafficking.

As the PSN coalition continues toexpand, state probation officers whocover the remote and rural regions of thestate have assisted in bringing towntrouble makers to justice. With theassistance of probation officers and thestate troopers who cover the largeterritory of Alaska, several dangerous

individuals have been recentlyprosecuted using federal gun laws underPSN.

Project Sentry efforts includeparticipation in the Anchorage PoliceDepartments gang and youth violencemeetings. Coalition members assist inyouth crime investigations and helpprosecute adults and juveniles involvedin illegal guns and drugs.

The PSN coalition also remainscommitted to enforcing the federal gunlaws that relate to domestic violence.The district provided training to state

and local partners regarding the federalprosecution of offenders prohibited frompossessing firearms because of priorconvictions for qualifying domesticviolence misdemeanor offenses.Because not all state domestic violenceconvictions qualify under federal lawand state and local prosecutors need tounderstand the federal consequences oftheir charging and plea decisions, a chartwas created to demonstrate what state

and local domestic violence offenseswould or would not prohibit thepossession of firearms under federal law.

Two TV public service announcements(PSAs) were produced locally tohighlight messages believed to be mosteffective in Alaska. The first, buildingon the PSAs created for the nationalPSN campaign, vividly demonstratedthat those convicted of firearm crimes

are sentenced to long periods ofincarceration, taking them away fromtheir children and family members. Thesecond drew upon an actual prosecutionof a defendant who was selling crackcocaine and using a loaded firearm at a

6


11/123

DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

local high school. The PSN messagewas visually emphasized as the localpolice turned the defendant over to ATFagents when they found the loadedhandgun.

DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Since the inception of Project SafeNeighborhoods (PSN) in the District ofArizona, the U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO)for the District of Arizona has builtpartnerships with law enforcement andprosecution agencies from across the statethrough the formation of the PSN ExecutiveCouncil. Member agencies of the Executive

Council include officers, agents, andprosecutors from urban and rural Arizonacommunities, who address the diverse lawenforcement issues of the district: expansivegeography, the international boundary withMexico, a large Indian Country jurisdiction,firearms trafficking, and firearms in thehands of illegal aliens. By collaboratingwith all law enforcement agencies willing tocommit to the PSN initiative, the USAO andthe Executive Council are able to expand theimpact of PSN over as much of the districtas possible.

Through PSN training opportunities andmeetings of the PSN Executive Council,local law enforcement agencies areencouraged to build relationships withSpecial Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)and U.S. Immigration and CustomsEnforcement (ICE) to consult at the fieldlevel about the most appropriate venue forgun crime prosecutions. An Assistant U.S.Attorney (AUSA) is available twenty-fourhours a day, seven days a week, to consultwith agents or officers on issues of federalfirearms law. As a result of this network ofPSN partnerships, the USAO has broughtfederal charges against some of the most

serious firearms offenders in smaller citiesand towns.

In Phoenix, the Violence Impact Projectbrings together the Phoenix Police

Department, ATF, ICE, U.S. MarshalsService, Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA), Maricopa County Probation, theMaricopa County Attorneys Office, and theUSAO to target crime in two geographicareas identified through crime mapping bythe districts PSN research partner, theArizona Criminal Justice Commission.Integral to the success of the ViolenceImpact Project has been the formation of thePhoenix Police Gun Squad, a group of

firearms detectives based out of the ATFPhoenix offices working side by side withATF agents to enforce both state and federalfirearms laws.

In Tucson, the USAO, Pima CountyAttorneys Office, Tucson ProsecutorsOffice, ATF, ICE, Arizona Department ofPublic Safety, Pima County Sheriffs Office,Tucson Police, Marana Police, Oro ValleyPolice, and Pima County Probation andParole have formed the Pima County GunTask Force to target gun crime in the Tucsonmetropolitan area. In addition, the Tucsonoffice has founded a task force of federaland tribal officers, agents, and prosecutors totarget firearms offenders on the TohonoOodham Nation, resulting in a significantincrease in felony firearms prosecutionsthere. The USAO has also brought PSNenforcement training to the Four CornersConference to highlight the prosecution offirearms offenses in Indian Country.

The PSN Executive Council continues toencourage new law enforcement andprosecution agencies to join the PSNinitiative through enforcement coordination,training, or attendance of council meetings.

7


12/123


13/123

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

federally and hundreds more have beencharged by the State of Arkansas. Sentencesfor PSN defendants averaged 60 monthsduring the first 24 months, and haveincreased, along with the number of Title 18

Sections 924(c) and 924(e) convictions, toaverage over 90 months in the past year.

Proactive supply-side investigations andprosecutions have not been neglected. TheATF and USAO have investigated andprosecuted both licensed and unlicenseddealers unlawfully trafficking firearms.Included in this effort is the targeting ofstraw purchasers who facilitate theacquisition of firearms for criminals.

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

Under the Western District of ArkansassProject Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)initiative, the Fort Smith Police Departmentand Sebastian County Prosecuting Attorneyscreen cases, removing those cases that donot fit their general criteria and contactingthe U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) for theWestern District of Arkansas or the Bureauof Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives (ATF) to further determinewhether those cases meet the PSN criteriafor federal prosecution, which include felonsor aliens in possession of firearms(particularly those with a violent criminalhistory or significant history), and otherviolent criminals or drug offenders engagedin activity involving a firearm. The processis a fluid one, as many cases are unique.The goal is to prevent individuals withsignificant criminal histories from engagingin further criminal behavior by removingthem from the streets for as long as possible.

The PSN program is branching out to otherparts of the district, particularly northwestArkansas, which is the fastest growing areaof the state. A PSN case screening process

is being instituted with police agencies andlocal prosecutors in the major cities innorthwest Arkansas similar to that in theFort Smith area.

The district reports frequent contact withstate and local prosecutors, who refer casesfor federal prosecution and help coordinatethe transfer of defendants to the federalsystem. The district has focused onincreased prosecution of violent and chronicoffenders, resulting in a significant increasein indictments and convictions as well asaverage prison time for offenders.

The district co-sponsored a speaker who

presented an intriguing program on firearmsand other forms of violence in schools. Thisprogram was recorded and professionallyproduced into a two DVD set, which theyintend to distribute to school administratorsand community and school leaders withinthe district.

Gun safety programs for primary andsecondary school children are being formedto educate children as to the manner inwhich firearms should be treated and thedangers inherent in handling them ifunsupervised.

Media outlets are being utilized to spreadthe success of the PSN program to thegeneral public and to put violators on noticethat they will be vigorously prosecuted.

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF

CALIFORNIA

With more than 18 million residents, theCentral District of California is the mostpopulous federal judicial district. The U.S.Attorneys Office (USAO) for the CentralDistrict of California is the second largest inthe country with approximately 250 lawyersspread through three offices located in Los

9


14/123

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Angeles, Orange County, and Riverside.Though crime problems vary widelythroughout the district, members oforganized street gangs, motorcycle gangs,and robbery crews are responsible for a

significant amount of the districts violentcrime and drug trafficking offenses. ProjectSafe Neighborhoods (PSN) is used toaddress crimes committed by these groupsthroughout the district. The USAO hascreated a multi-agency task force, consistingof key federal, state, and local agencies, toaggressively identify and target violent drugtraffickers and criminally active members ofstreet gangs and robbery rings. PSN hasbrought together federal, state, and local

agencies to break up criminal organizationsthrough proactive investigations andprosecution of reactive cases.

In Los Angeles County, uponimplementation of PSN, the USAOdesignated a specific target area based oncrime data provided by the Los AngelesPolice Department (LAPD) and Los AngelesSheriffs Department (LASD). The targetarea is that patrolled by the LAPDs 77thStreet Station and the Century Station of theLASD, an area rife with large numbers ofviolent street gangs. The USAO haspartnered with the LAPD, the LASD, theBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation (FBI), the Los Angeles CountyDistrict Attorneys (DAs) Office, the LosAngeles City Attorneys (CAs) Office, andunits within the parole and probationdepartments. The USAO established andchairs a PSN Oversight Committee, whichconsists of representatives from partneragencies and meets monthly or bimonthly todiscuss gun prosecutions, active criminalgangs or organizations, and the intakeprocess. The Los Angeles CAs Office hasprovided a Deputy City Attorney to serve asa Special Assistant United States Attorney

(SAUSA) to handle intake and federalprosecution of PSN cases originating in theCity of Los Angeles.

In Ventura and San Bernardino Counties,

the USAO has been participating in monthlygang task force meetings, where gangintelligence is shared, along with ideas forsuccessful state and federal prosecution ofgang members.

In Riverside County, the U.S. AttorneysOffice has partnered with the RiversideCounty Sheriffs department and ATF toform a task force to combat gang violence inthe Inland Empire.

In all of these counties, the intakecomponent of PSN relies upon referralsfrom local law enforcement officers, theATF, and the FBI. The guidelines forprosecution include subjects with priorconvictions for drug trafficking offenses,violent felonies and domestic abuse, andsubjects illegally in possession of firearmswith known gang affiliations. Assistant U.S.Attorneys (AUSAs) have trained policeofficers and federal agents on firearms,narcotics, and immigration violationsthrough roll-call trainings and other forums,focusing on investigative efforts andprotocols at the street level, as well as on thedifferences between federal and stateprosecution. For example, in November2005, the ATF and the USAO hosted athree-day training session for over 1,200local law enforcement officers andprosecutors. The training session includedlectures on federal prosecutions, firearmidentification, and firearm tracing.

In Orange County, the City of Santa Anawas selected as the target area due to thelarge number of organized violent streetgangs. PSN has established a positiveworking relationship with the Santa Ana

10


15/123

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Police Department, which has devotedresources to this project. To assist with thePSN program, the Orange County DistrictAttorney (DA) has provided to the SantaAna Branch of the USAO a senior

prosecutor who has been designated as anSAUSA. The SAUSA has access to theOrange County DAs database of criminalfilings, receives a weekly report of caseswhere serious firearm-related charges havebeen involved, and is able to quickly retrieveand review investigative reports relating tothese cases. The SAUSA selects the moreserious and/or complex cases wherein thereis federal jurisdiction and the likelihood of agreater federal sentence. Once a case has

been selected for federal prosecution, theassigned Orange County DA prosecutor isnotified and arrangements are made totransfer the defendant to federal custody. Inaddition, the SAUSA periodically visitslocal police departments to advise theirofficers that the SAUSA is available toreview any particularly serious or complexcases that they might want to refer directlyfor federal prosecution.

The offices of the U.S. Attorney (USA), LosAngeles County DA, Los Angeles CA,Orange County DA, Ventura County DA,Riverside County DA, and San BernardinoCounty DA work cooperatively to determinehow a case will be prosecuted, taking intoaccount sentencing, jurisdiction, andevidentiary issues. Californias three strikeslaw, gang sentencing enhancements, andFourth Amendment Search and Seizureissues are all considered in determiningwhether a case is more efficiently andeffectively prosecuted federally or by thestate.

PSNs partnership approach has producedsignificant results. A joint ATF/LAPDinvestigation led to the successful federalprosecution of an East Coast Crip gang

member who operated as a firearm and drugtrafficker in an apartment complex, resultingin a 120 month term of imprisonment. Ajoint FBI/LAPD investigation led to federalprosecution of a member of a violent

jewelry robbery crew, who robbed jewelryvendors at gunpoint for years, but now hasbeen sentenced to 492 months in prison. Ajoint ATF, FBI, and LAPD investigation ofan armed cocaine and crack cocaine drugtrafficker led to his conviction, and he isnow facing a federal mandatory life withoutrelease sentence. A joint effort with theRiverside County DAs Office and theRiverside Police Department resulted inseveral successful federal prosecutions

including that of one gang member whoreceived a sentence of 120 monthsimprisonment. A joint effort with theVentura County DAs Office resulted in agang member being sentenced federally to188 months imprisonment.

The Central District of California continuesto implement and expand its PSN initiative,working cooperatively with federal and locallaw enforcement agencies to target violentcriminal organizations and armed drugtraffickers. Efforts also continue toimplement community outreach andeducation programs centered on reducinggun violence.

EASTERN DISTRICT OF

CALIFORNIA

A key component of the Eastern District ofCalifornias Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) strategy has been outreach to andtraining for the vast and varied communitieswithin its 34 counties, stretching from thenorthern border of Los Angeles County tothe southern border of Oregon. Over the lastseveral years, with PSN grant funding, theU.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) for the

11


16/123

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Eastern District of California has providedthe very well-received Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)training program on firearms investigationtechniques to over 700 local law

enforcement officers throughout the state.The starting point of the offices PSNoutreach was the U.S. Attorneys (USAs)personal visits to every city and rural countyin the district at which he invited their chieflaw enforcement officers to refer persistentproblem violent offenders for federalprosecution.

The districts PSN strategy places morefocused emphasis on the urban areas

affected by higher incidence of gunviolence, such as Stockton, Sacramento, andModesto, where local police departmentshave assigned officers as ATF task forceagents to identify and target local offendersfor federal prosecution consistent with thatcitys local priorities, which includetargeting specific gangs and cleaning upparticular neighborhoods. Recognizing thatdifferent cities have different crimeproblems, Assistant U.S. Attorneys(AUSAs) participate in Weed and Seedsites, local law enforcement gang meetings,and other local law enforcement forums inthese cities to strategize with localdepartments and district attorneys (DAs) toidentify and implement the most effective,highest-impact use of federal prosecutionresources in those communities.

Over the past five years, approximately 85offenders from Stocktonall with eitherdrug or violence prior convictionshavebeen convicted in federal court for federalfirearms violations. Since thecommencement of PSN, the SacramentoPolice Department and Sheriffs Office haveroutinely referred cases to the USAO forprosecution in federal court for violations offederal firearms laws. In 2005, at least half

of the Sacramento offenders prosecutedfederally were confirmed gang members.

In addition, the USAO has taken a lead rolein coordinating special short-term targeted

investigations designed to combat particulardrug and gun violence problems. In 2005,the USA took a lead role in obtaining aVCIT (Violent Crime Impact Team)designation for the City of Fresno. Thedesignation of additional ATF agents andthe development of a localized task force toconcentrate on the same issue at the sametime have led to a 46% rise in the gunprosecutions from the USAs Fresno districtoffice. Over the past two years, 123 crime

guns were seized, and 51 PSN and VCITdefendants were prosecuted federally.

Other special projects have included USAOsupport in a 2004-2005 multi-agency ad hoctask force formed after a Merced PoliceOfficer was murdered. The USAOprosecuted eight Merced Gangster Crips,including the leader of that gang, on federaldrug and gun charges. In the City ofModesto, a joint state and federal task forcearrested 44 defendants, many from theNorteno criminal street gang. The USAOprosecuted 14 of them on federal drug andgun charges. Police officials have reportedan 80% drop in gang homicides since thatoperation. Between 2004 and 2006, as aresult of a joint investigation by the FederalBureau of Investigation (FBI) and theModesto Police Department, the USAOprosecuted approximately 30 armedrobberies of banks and businesses in theModesto area, most of which werecommitted by street gang members. OneSureno gang member was sentenced to morethan 2,000 months in federal prison for eightarmed robberies. A Norteno gang memberrecently pleaded guilty to six armedrobberies with a stipulated 30 year sentence.Recently, the FBI formed a Safe Streets

12


17/123

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Task Force in Stanislaus County to targetNorteno gang members with guns and drugs.In addition, the USAO has taken anaggressive role in securing the deploymentof the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)

Mobile Enforcement Team to several citiesin the district, including Sacramento,Modesto, and Fresno, and has supportedthose efforts with record numbers of federalindictments for the drug and gun offensesarising from those operations.

The task force has been able to support all ofthese efforts through the PSN grantprogram. Several local prosecutor positionshave been funded in the cities in which the

PSN efforts are focused. The localdistribution method permits the funds to beused in a more comprehensive manner thanthrough traditional centralized grantprograms. For example, in Sacramento agrant was initially provided to the localcrime lab for a National Integrated BallisticsInformation Network (NIBIN) technician. Itwas later learned that this grant was notresulting in the firearm matches getting todetectives any faster because a delay infingerprinting caused the guns not to bereleased to the labs. A grant in the nextcycle was awarded to the police departmentto hire a gun-only fingerprint technician andalmost immediately there were 139 NIBINmatches available to local detectives.

The overall number of cases prosecuted inthe Eastern District of California continuesto increase from pre-PSN levels. From 2000to 2005, there has been a 158% increase inthe number of firearms offenses prosecutedin the Eastern District of California. Thenumber rose 15% from 2004 to 2005. Moreimportantly, the USAO has improved thecooperative relationships between thefederal law enforcement agencies and thelocal police, sheriffs, and district attorneysand has taken on a more prominent role in

the prevention and prosecution of violentcrime in the communities it serves.

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF

CALIFORNIA

The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)program in the Northern District ofCalifornia is thriving and having ademonstrable impact on the reduction offirearms-related violence within the district.Both the quantity and quality of the U.S.Attorneys (USAs) cases have increased.Due to the success of the program in SanFrancisco and Oakland, the USA isexpanding PSN to other areas of the district,

including the counties of Sonoma and SantaCruz, and the cities of East Palo Alto,Richmond, and San Jose.

The USAs most successful strategy toreduce gun violence involves a targetedapproach to federal firearms prosecutions.Through task force meetings, the U.S.Attorneys Office (USAO) for the NorthernDistrict of California focuses on dangerousfelons who are committing firearms-relatedviolence. This strategic approach has beensuccessful. Notably, the USAO is findingthat the majority of individuals committingfirearms-related violence are previouslyconvicted gang members.

The USA has successfully formedpartnerships tailored to individual areas bycombining local and federal lawenforcement entities into task forces. Forexample, the USAs Operation CeasefireTask Force partners include the SanFrancisco Police department, SheriffsDepartment, Adult Probation, JuvenileProbation, Federal Probation, State Parole,the District Attorneys (DAs) Office, theFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), theBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives (ATF), and the mayors office.

13


18/123

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

In April of 2004, the gang-related homiciderate in San Francisco was on the rise,culminating in the tragic death of OfficerIsaac Espinoza, who was gunned down by agang member wielding an AK-47 type rifle.

Officer Espinoza was a member of theCeasefire Task Force. In response to thissurge in gang and gun violence, the taskforce identified approximately 53individuals responsible for gun violence.Over a seven-month period, approximately38 of those individuals were placed incustody and approximately ten were killedas a result of gang violence.

In addition to investigating and prosecuting

felon in possession of firearms cases, theUSAO has used its Strike Force Unit with itsarsenal of RICO (Racketeer Influenced andCorrupt Organizations) and VICAR (ViolentCrime in Aid of Racketeering) chargesagainst violent criminals and gangs. As aresult of these efforts, The San FranciscoChronicle wrote an article in July of 2005,crediting the trigger lock and gangprosecutions for lowering San Franciscosgang homicide rate by over 50%.

The Homicide Task Force was formed in2002 in response to an alarming homiciderate in Oakland and surrounding areas.Headed by the USAO, and chaired by theChief of the Oakland Branch Office, the taskforce consists of members from the DrugEnforcement Administration (DEA), FBI,ATF, California Bureau of NarcoticsEnforcement (BNE), Oakland PoliceDepartment, Alameda County DAs Office,and various other agencies.

The task force has targeted violent gangactivity, prosecuted individuals federally,conducted Title III wiretaps, and cultivatedcooperators in its effort to reduce the violentcrime and homicide rate in Oakland. In aneffort to impact violent activity at an earlier

stage, the task force implemented a highlyeffective truancy program to address recordnumbers of absences from local schools.These efforts contributed to an approximate25% reduction in the homicide rate in

Oakland during 2004.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF

CALIFORNIA

As part of the Southern District ofCalifornias Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) initiative, the San Diego ViolentCrimes Task Forces Gang Group wasawarded a grant in August 2003, to combatgun violence in southeast San Diego.

Typical of the results of this ongoing, jointfederal and state effort, six federal and statesearch warrants were executed in August2005 to address the violent nature of a localstreet gang in the targeted area. Drugs wereseized and 12 weapons (including a pistolwith silencer and two assault rifles) weretaken off the streets.

PSN funding in the Southern District ofCalifornia has provided gun-tracing analysisof firearms involved in crimes such ashomicides, attempted murder, drugdistribution and felon in possession of afirearm. Images of bullets and cartridgecasings entered into the database systemhave increased progress in identifying gunsused in crimes and linking them to criminalsuspects. The program is supported bylocal, state, and federal law enforcementagencies. PSN funding has been essential insecuring the skills of a highly-trainedtechnician and maintaining relatedequipment.

The district has now started focusing itsefforts on illegal firearms cases involvingdomestic violence and illegal/unlawful alienin possession cases.

14


19/123

DISTRICT OF COLORADO

PSN funding was used to educate thecommunity, parents, and youth about thedangers of gun crime and violence and toincrease awareness and involvement inviolence prevention programs and efforts.

Major highlights include:

Produced more than 50,000 safety/gunlock brochures in English and Spanishfor dissemination to parents/guardians.

Secured grants from the Bureau ofJustice Assistance (BJA) to implementthe GREAT (Gang Resistance Educationand Training) program at five middleschools in communities with high rates

of gun crime, violence and gangs.

Secured over 20,000 gunlocks fordissemination to parents and guardians.

Conducted back-to-school nights withthe Ninth District PTA to inform parentsand guardians about the importance ofgun safety and how to prevent gun crimeand violence.

Worked with eight local lawenforcement agencies to partner indistributing gunlocks from policeimpounds, community substations andneighborhood events.

Distributed more than 10,000 gunlocksat community events, parent educationforums, violence prevention workshops,schools and law enforcement facilities.

Distributed more than 14,550 Safe GunStorage brochures at community events,parent education forums, violenceprevention workshops, schools and lawenforcement facilities.

Conducted more than 18 communitypresentations educating parents about

gun safety and gun crime/violenceprevention.

Worked with local youth to design andproduce more than 15,000 gun

crime/violence prevention posters whichare disseminated at locations such aslocal schools, community-basedagencies, Boys and Girls Clubs, andYMCAs.

DISTRICT OF COLORADO

Coordination has been a critical componentto the success of Colorados Project SafeNeighborhoods (PSN) initiative. Federal

and state prosecutors communicate about thebest venue to prosecute a particular case.Local police officers and Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)agents pool their resources to conductthorough investigations. Additionally,programs designed to train state judges,parole officers, and street officers have allcontributed toward making PSN a success inthe District of Colorado. Their enforcementmessage has reached the community, as

evidenced by one Colorado Springs drugdealer admitting that, because of PSN, hestarted to leave his gun at home so that hewould not ...catch a federal casewhichhe knew would mean more prison time if hewas caught in possession of a weapon.

The District of Colorado has focused itsattention on law enforcement coordination.Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs)have attended numerous police roll callsthroughout the Denver metropolitan area toconduct firearm training for local policeofficers. Prosecutors have also conductedtraining for state judges and probationofficers, explaining the importance ofmaking a good factual record at sentencinghearings. With the State of ColoradosOffice of Parole, the district has instituted an

15


20/123

DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT

The National Shooting Sports Foundation isteaming up with state officials and local lawenforcement agencies to distribute over350,000 free gun locks throughout Coloradoas part of the national Project ChildSafe

initiative.

innovative program that enhances offendersupervision in the community. Workingclosely with Parole and with ColoradoDepartment of Corrections Youth OffenderServices, protocols have been created to

remind parolees and juvenile inmatesconvicted as adults that they cannot lawfullypossess a firearm and that there are seriousconsequences for violating the law. Thecenterpiece of this program is that state andlocal parole officers are closely trackingparolees at high risk to recidivate, sharingthat information with law enforcementofficers on a regular basis, and coordinatingwith ATF agents and local police when theyreceive information that a parolee might

have a firearm and when they actuallyrecover a firearm during a contact with aparolee.


The defining element of Connecticutssuccessful Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) initiative is the forging of meaningfulrelationships between and among federaland state prosecutors and local lawenforcement authorities. PSN partnershipsand gun enforcement teams have been

established in the states urban centers ofBridgeport, New Haven, Waterbury andHartford. The teams are responsible forresponding to all firearms recoveries andevery crime incident involving a firearm.The response teams are on call seven dayseach week, twenty-four hours each day.Among other things, the response teamsattempt to obtain post-arrest statements fromoffenders concerning the firearms theypossessed, and then focus theirinvestigations of the sources of the firearms.They have found that by simply conductingpost-arrest interviews, they often obtaininculpatory statements in over 80% of thecases where such interviews are conducted.In addition to the firearms response teams,each and every offense involving a firearmis reviewed jointly by a state prosecutor anda federal prosecutor. Together, a judgmentis made concerning the most appropriateforum for prosecution.

A number of projects are underway inColorado to bring awareness to PSNsmessage, gun crime means hard time. Thedistrict has worked closely with Families ofHomicide Victims and Missing Persons tobring attention to cold case firearmhomicides. This project serves as areminder that no matter how long ago aviolent gun crime is committed, there willalways be investigators looking for thoseresponsible. The project also reassures thevictims families that authorities doeverything in their power to solve theircases.

In Aurora, Colorado, the Weed and SeedOffice plays a critical role in spreading theword about the consequences of gun crimes.Aurora police officers conduct educationand training classes at local middle schools,and the district works with local districtattorneys offices on various firearminitiatives, such as project TARGET (TeamApproach Regarding Gun EducationTraining) in Pueblo, Colorado.

With the assistance of a research partner,they have also established a WOW (Worst-Of-the-Worst) list. The list is compiled byascribing a numerical value to each priorarrest of each convicted felon in the subjectcity. For example, an individual convicted

16


21/123


of murder and distributing narcotics mayhave a violence severity index (VSI) scoreof 20. A second individual convicted ofburglary and assault with a firearm mayhave a VSI of 17. In this fashion,

individuals with the highest VSIs areidentified and prioritized for lawenforcement response. If individuals withhigh VSIs are the subject of an activewarrant, that warrant is prioritized forexecution. Similarly, if an individual with ahigh VSI is under court supervision onprobation, parole or some other form ofsupervised release efforts are made toensure that conditions are scrupulouslyhonored. Finally, if the individual is

released to the community, efforts are madeto ensure that individuals with high VSIscores are not engaged in continuingcriminal conduct.

A recent initiative includes partnering withJohn Walsh ofAmericas Most Wantedtocreate Connecticuts Most Wanted. EachSaturday night, during the airing ofAmericas Most Wanted, a ConnecticutsMost Wanted segment is aired featuring afugitive who has committed a violent crimewith a firearm. Approximately 50% of thefugitives featured on Connecticuts MostWanted have subsequently been captured.

With respect to community outreach, theU.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) for theDistrict of Connecticut has developed andproduced a Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) video in English and Spanish that isshown to each and every inmate of the StateDepartment of Corrections before release.In addition, each defendant on probation orparole is required, as a condition of release,to attend an offender meeting. State andfederal prosecutors advise probationers andparolees of the PSN initiative, of theconsequence of firearms possession and/ornarcotics distribution, and advise that such

offenses will be vigorously prosecuted.Additionally, they arrange for serviceproviders to be present, including drugcounselors, job trainers, and persons whospecialize in home-life issues and anger

management, and they urge those present totake advantage of the services. Theattendees are informed that if they appearbefore a court in the future, excuses such asdrug addiction, and unemployment, simplywill not be countenanced if no effort wasmade to avail themselves of the servicesbeing offered. Offender meetings are heldmonthly in each of the partner cities. Inaddition, to engage youth, the district hascreated a mock trial competition and

partnered with the New Britain Rock Cats, alocal baseball team.

The following descriptions of PSNenforcement and outreach activitiesdemonstrate the success of PSN inConnecticut and the various strategiesutilized in the district:

In the states largest cities, enforcementmeetings have been established for the

purpose of identifying the most seriousoffenders and devising strategies tofacilitate their removal from thecommunity. A senior member of theHartford Police Command Staff willassign a specific unit to developinformation on the target and report onthe targets activities at the next meeting.If it is determined that the target isactively engaged in criminal activity, theunit will dedicate law enforcementresources with the intent of building acriminal case. Every target on this list isidentified in the Hartford PoliceDepartment internal database. If a targeton the enforcement list is arrested, thearresting officer will be alerted that thearrestee is a target on the list. Adesignated state prosecutor, who attends

17


22/123


the enforcement meetings, is notified toensure that the case receives appropriateattention.

The district has created a video about thePSN program that is viewed by each andevery inmate before being released fromstate custody. The district also haspresented the PSN message to various

community and faith-based groups.

The USAO and state partners conductpolice department and emergencyoperator training. Some issues coveredinclude Fourth Amendment issues, FifthAmendment issues, evidence recovery,report writing, significant recent courtdecisions, investigative techniques, etc.Enforcement training sessions have alsobeen conducted with the Bureau ofAlcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives (ATF).

An agreement with the New BritainRock Cats baseball team allowed 1000youth from across Connecticut to receivetickets to numerous home games,merchandise, a PSN advertisement in theRock Cats yearbook, public addressmessages, scoreboard displays, and liveradio broadcast announcementspromoting PSN. In addition, the Rock

Cats final game of the season againstthe Altoona Curve on Labor Day,September 6, 2004, was dedicated toPSN, and the team provided a picnic for1000 youths and chaperones whoattended.

Since the creation of the enforcement listin March of 2003, 108 individuals havebeen targeted. Fifty-seven of those havebeen arrested and successfullyprosecuted with an average sentence ofapproximately 5 years. Three targetsfrom the list are currently in custody onpending murder charges. Thirty-sixtargets were placed on an inactive listwhen it was determined that they werenot actively engaged in criminal activity.

The district, through the Project Sentryinitiative, is creating a mock trialcompetition at the Manson YouthInstitute, a juvenile detention facility in

Cheshire, Connecticut that housesapproximately 700 to 800 youthoffenders. The hope is to use the mocktrial competition to sensitize the youthsto the victims perspective and to discusscareer goals when they are released.

Connecticuts PSN strategy includescommunity outreach and theinvolvement of members oforganizations in communities affectedby crime. Connecticuts communitybased organizations reach out to thoserecently released from prison and toyoung adults, who may be at risk forengaging in criminal activity. Theyoffer a variety of resources, including

job training, adult education, substanceabuse counseling, family counseling, andspiritual guidance. One of the mostimportant outreach initiatives is themonthly offender meetings held inHartford, New Haven, Bridgeport,Stamford, and Waterbury.

18


23/123

DISTRICT OF DELAWARE

DISTRICT OF DELAWARE

The goal of Operation Disarm is to increasefederal firearms prosecutions, seize illegallypossessed guns, train law enforcement

officers, and conduct successful gunviolence reduction and gun safety outreachprograms. From September 2001 throughDecember 2005, over three times as manydefendants were charged with federalfirearms offenses in Delaware compared tothe preceding corresponding period.Additionally, aggressive enforcementinitiatives have had an impact. Anundercover investigation recently resulted inthe conviction of a gun dealer who illegally

sold a firearm to a felon, and a gun storesalesman who illegally sold a gun to a strawpurchaser. Those prosecutions sent a strongdeterrent message to federally-licensedfirearms dealers. Further, federal and stateprosecutors have implemented a case reviewmechanism that has contributed to anincrease in state and local firearms cases thathave been adopted by the United StatesAttorneys Office (USAO) for the District ofDelaware.

The Operation Disarm Investigative TaskForce, which consists of the USAO, theAttorney Generals (AGs) Office, theBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives (ATF), Delaware State Police,Dover Police, Seaford Police, WilmingtonPolice and New Castle County Police, hasseized a substantial number of illegalfirearms. Since October 2003, the task forcehas seized over 970 guns.

Since early in the initiative, OperationDisarm has provided training to lawenforcement. The ATF has been aninvaluable ally in this endeavor. OperationDisarm training focuses on federal gun laws,search and seizure, preserving DNAevidence in gun investigations, and

characteristics of armed criminals. Thistraining has helped law enforcement developskills to effectively combat gun crime.

Operation Disarm has conducted a

significant number of gun violencereduction and gun safety outreach initiatives.For example, in the Truth AboutConsequences (TAC) Program,representatives of the USAO and theChristiana Care Trauma PreventionProgram/ThinkFirst Delaware explain thecriminal and health consequences ofcommitting and being the victim of a guncrime. Further, a mother shares her anguishfrom the loss of her son who was shot to

death. This program has been presented toapproximately 1500 teenagers to help themappreciate the realities of being theperpetrator and the victim of gun violence.After one participant in the program wasreleased from a juvenile detention facilitywhere he attended the TAC program, heapproached the mother who spoke of her sonwho was lost to gun violence, introduced hisparents to her and said that he had nottouched an illegal gun since he heard herpresentation.

Additionally, Operation Disarm haspartnered with elementary schools and thedistricts Weed and Seed sites to spread itsoutreach message. McGruff the CrimeDog, the Dover Police, Delaware StatePolice, Wilmington Police, U.S. ProbationOffice and USAO have participated in gunsafety presentations to over 2000 attendeesfrom Delawares schools and Weed andSeed sites. In the Play Station II and VideoSmart programs, Weed and Seed sites haveused nonviolent video games to teach gunsafety and provide anti-violence messages toyouth. In 2005, the USAO and Weed andSeed sites sponsored a conference in whichspeakers encouraged over 200 attendees tostop violence by strengthening families,

19


24/123

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

influencing youth to make positive choicesand changing the cultural environment of at-risk youth. Further, local organizationsdiscussed what services were available toassist the attendees in their efforts to curb

gun violence. The conference was so well-received that it led to a similar conference in2006. The aforementioned achievements area tribute to the exemplary cooperativeefforts and hard work of Operation Disarmpartners.

The Fall 2003 homicide incident reviewserves as the foundation for newenforcement efforts targeting violentoffenders and firearms-related crime in the

city. The planning, development, andexecution of these new enforcementstrategies, largely modeled after the BostonGun Project, is ongoing.

On January 13, 2005, the district held itsfirst call-in of 40 probation and parolesupervisees, in U.S. District Court. These 40offenders represented 25 different violentgroups operating in the highest crime areasof D.C. The seated offenders faced a line of

law enforcement partners from the D.C.Metropolitan Police Department (MPD),U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) for theDistrict of Columbia, the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF),the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), theCourt Services and Offender SupervisionAgency (CSOSA), D.C. Housing Police,D.C. Attorney Generals (AGs) Office, U.S.Marshals Service, U.S. Parole Commission,and the U.S. Probation Service in theDistrict of Columbia. After a U.S. DistrictCourt Judge called the roll, MPD ChiefCharles Ramsey opened the meeting bydiscussing the unacceptable level ofviolence in their city, the combined lawenforcement partnership dedicated to endingfurther killings, and the clear choiceconfronting each of the 40 participantsEnd the violence or be prepared for all yourcrew members to face tough lawenforcement consequences. The other lawenforcement speakers reinforced themessage and offered detailed information oncriminal enterprises currently operated byparticipants. A team of the citys youthoutreach workers and faith-based leaders ispresent at the call-ins to extend an offer ofassistance with an array of services,


The Washington D.C. Project SafeNeighborhoods (PSN) program utilizes amulti-faceted approach to combat gunviolence. The program employs variousenforcement measures involving thenumerous partner agencies and policedepartments in the area. Enforcementstrategies include an incident reviewprocess, call-in meetings with offendersunder court supervision, the formation of aviolent crime impact team, and enhancedprosecution. These strategies have had animpact on violent crime in the district, suchas substantial increases in court filings andconvictions. Perhaps the most notablechange was a 20% decrease in homicides.The district also has been working todevelop its community outreach strategies.Outreach workers have consistentlyinteracted with community members,offenders, law enforcement, and otherpartners, through meetings, conferences, andeducation programs and seminars. Thedistrict also participates in ProjectChildSafe, which has distributed 9,500 gunlocks to residents. The coordination ofactivities among the various constituents is avital component of the gun violenceprevention efforts in Washington, D.C.

20


25/123


including employment, vocational training,substance abuse treatment, and GEDcourses. The PSN Task Force has scheduledcall-in sessions at three-month intervals forthe remainder of this year. Gangs

responsible for violent acts have beenidentified and the law enforcement operationplans are underway.

The district also formed a VCIT (ViolentCrime Impact Team), consisting ofMetropolitan police and specially-trainedfederal agents to focus on high crimeincidence areas in the city. Theinvestigators make use of high-technologysurveillance and crime-mapping tools.

There were 1,327 PSN-relatedindictments/informations filed from January1, 2003, to December 31, 2003, in the localSuperior Court and 84 juvenile gun caseswere initiated. From January 1, 2004,through December 31, 2004, 1,257 PSN-related indictments/informations were filedand 101 juvenile gun cases were initiated.

In the first year of full implementation, D.C.achieved a 20% decrease in the number ofhomicides in the district. This dramaticdecrease is coupled with an overall decreaseof 12% in UCR Part I crimes measuring areduction in each of the nine categories.This success represents the cumulativeefforts of smarter police deployments, PSNtraining for line officers and crime sceneofficers, implementation of gun guidelines,joint federal-local investigations, betterintelligence sharing, and a greater emphasison interagency coordination. Aggressiveenforcement and stronger cases allowed theUSAO to enhance prosecution of firearmscases. District Court case filings, whichincreased by 20% in 2003, were up again in2004. District Court convictions attained in2004 were up 9% over the previous year,coupled with a 12% increase in the number

of guilty verdicts rendered. The district isencouraged by these numbers, and believesits gun guidelines and comprehensivetraining for both police and prosecutors hasled to this continued success.

Unique among its colleagues, the USAOprosecutes both local and federal cases inthe District of Columbia. In the first ninemonths of 2005, the district filed 864 localcases involving firearms crime. It alsosecured 610 convictions in cases involvingfirearms and firearms violence, an increaseof 13% from this time last year. Thedistricts trial conviction rate remainsrelatively steady at approximately 70%. In

calendar year 2004, the office filed a total of1342 local cases involving firearmsviolations, and successfully prosecuted 721cases.

The incident review process, which issimilar to the Indianapolis Project in the late1990s, has provided task force memberswith rich, qualitative fields of data that guidetheir development, implementation, andexecution of coordinated and comprehensivelaw enforcement strategies. Looking belowthe surface of crime statistics and crimemapping, information obtained through theincident review process provides additionalanalysis among victims, suspects, locations,and groups involved in homicides and otherviolent offenses. The district feels theinformation is vital to the success of lawenforcement strategies in the District ofColumbia.

The USAO hosted a day-long conferencewith 300 community and governmentparticipants and focused on a range of crimeissues, including gun violence. In addition,the districts ten community prosecutors andeight community outreach specialistsattended over 600 community meetings lastyear. They work closely with the mayors

21


26/123

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

office and its outreach staff on a number ofcommunity-oriented problems, includingdrug, prostitution, and nuisance propertyissues. In addition, they work regularly withfaith-based organizations on matters

involving crime reduction and offenderreentry. The office recently conducted anoverhaul of its public website in order toimprove communication with residents.Finally, the office produces a monthly crimereport for residents in each of the citysseven police districts, highlighting crimesand prosecutions originating from theseareas.

The Project Sentry point of contact

communicates regularly with D.C. AGsOffice and the Juvenile Court (JVC) onspecific juvenile cases, as well as generalmatters of policy and administrationregarding juvenile matters. In addition, theProject Sentry point of contact coordinatesan extensive network of community-basedprograms and initiatives for youth in theDistrict of Columbia, in partnership with thecommunity, various law enforcementagencies, government agencies, and theprivate sector. These programs includeWeed and Seed, Project LEAD (LegalEnrichment and Decision-Making - aninteractive curriculum for fifth gradestudents, taught by teams of prosecutors andstaff from the USAO), Drug Education forYouth, and a partnership with AmidonElementary School.

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

The Middle District of Florida is a fast-growing, evolving district that encompasses35 counties, over 10 million people, andover 50% of Floridas population. TheMiddle District has a diverse population andsize; including major metropolitan centers(Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville), majortourist destinations, the Florida Space Coast,

as well as suburban and rural agriculturalregions. Such a diverse and expansivedistrict creates unique challenges for theProject Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)initiative. The Middle District of Florida is

meeting those challenges by creatingeffective partnerships among federal andlocal law enforcement, the community, andthe media.

The U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) for theMiddle District of Florida has teamed withfederal and local law enforcement and stateprosecutors to take the most violentoffenders off the streets. For example, inNorth Florida, the efforts of the USAO, the

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives (ATF), the Putnam CountySheriffs Office, and the Palatka PoliceDepartment resulted in the federalconvictions of two of the areas maintargets. In Ft. Myers, the partnership of theUSAO, ATF, Lee County Sheriffs Office,and the Ft. Myers Police Departmentresulted in numerous convictions ofoffenders under the Armed Career Criminal(ACC) Act. For example, two violentoffenders were sentenced to 200 months and280 months as ACCs. In Jacksonville, theUSAO joined with ATF, the Federal Bureauof Investigation (FBI), and the JacksonvilleSheriffs Office to target an armed andviolent drug organization. The investigationresulted in a 12-defendant indictment, inwhich 10 defendants have pled guilty andawait sentencing. Since February 2005, 24defendants in Jacksonville including manyconvicted of ACC charges were sentencedto a total of almost 2,500 monthsimprisonment, or an average of 104 monthsper defendant. In Tampa, the PSNpartnership of the USAO, ATF, TampaPolice Department, and HillsboroughCounty Sheriffs Office has targeted violentgang members. As a result, one leader was

22


27/123

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

convicted of an ACC charge and sentencedto 15 years imprisonment. Also in Tampa,two violent home-invaders were sentencedto 35 years imprisonment. Similarly, thePSN partnerships in Polk, Brevard/

Seminole, and Manatee Counties haveresulted in numerous ACC convictions formajor violent felons, including a 66 yearterm of imprisonment for a violent serialbank robber in Brevard County.

The Middle District of Florida hasimplemented a community outreachcampaign to engage the community andeducate citizens. The districts efforts haveresulted in the placing of public service

messages on television, billboards,newspapers, the internet, flyers, and buses.In Brevard County, members of theNeighborhood Prosecution Team go door-to-door distributing flyers that describerecent successful prosecutions. TheNeighborhood Prosecution Team is a uniquecollaboration that consists of the StateAttorney (SA), law enforcement officials,and members of the local Weed and Seedcommittees. In Duval and HillsboroughCounties, police officers and PSNprosecutors have invited school children tojoin a pledge against gun violence. To date,over 65,000 school children have signed thepledge that will be a central theme in futureannual school efforts.

In what continues to be a model of aneffective PSN partnership, the USAO inOrlando, ATF, the Sheriffs and PoliceChiefs in Seminole and Brevard Counties,and the SA of the 18th Judicial Circuit haveexcelled with community outreachinitiatives, neighborhood prosecution teams,and cross-designation of Assistant StateAttorneys (ASAs) as Special AssistantUnited States Attorneys (SAUSAs). Thispartnership is a model of informationsharing. The SA of the 18th Judicial Circuit

sponsored a Rap Against Violence musiccontest to increase public awareness aboutgun crime and violence. The SA receivedover 125 entries from performers who wereinvited to create an original hip-hop song

containing an anti-gun crime and gunviolence reduction message. The songscontained lyrics such as hard time for a guncrime, stop the gun violence, federaltime for gun crime, and similar messages.Ten winners were selected from the entries,and the winners were transported bylimousine to a professional recording studio,where they recorded their songs. Each songwas recorded onto a compact disk, entitledRap Against Violence. Ten thousand

copies were produced and will be distributedthroughout Central Florida as part of thedistricts community outreach campaign.


The Northern District of Florida iscommitted to Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) and to the vigorous enforcement offederal firearm laws. Since thecommencement of the PSN initiative in theirdistrict, they have significantly increasedtheir firearm prosecutions and maintained ahigh level of firearm prosecutions. As theanalysis of their research partner (the FloridaDepartment of Law Enforcement) hasdemonstrated, the number of firearmoffenses continues to decrease significantlyover the past several years throughout thedistrict.

The districts PSN plan can be described asa Smart Prosecution strategy coordinating with local prosecutors inidentifying which gun-related offensesshould be prosecuted federally. The Bureauof Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives (ATF) in each of the fourgeographic localities receives arrest andbooking reports from the State Attorney

23


28/123


ATF and the U.S. Attorneys Office(USAO) for the Northern District of Floridahave partnered to conduct training seminarsfor state and local law enforcement on PSN,gun-crime analysis, firearms tracing, and

crime submissions. This training wasaccomplished in all four divisions of thedistrict, along with training at the districtsannual Law Enforcement CoordinatingCommittee (LECC) conference. The PSNtask force, through FDLE, has alsoconducted a two day seminar forapproximately 75 local law enforcementofficers on street level firearm interdictionand covered such topics as recovery andenforcement techniques, firearm detection,

firearm case articulations and handling andprocessing gun related crime scenes.

(SA) for each offense that involves afirearm. After screening by ATF todetermine if the offender is an armed careercriminal, a felon in possession, or used a gunin furtherance of drug trafficking or a crime

of violence, the PSN local Task ForceAssistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) consultswith the local Assistant State Attorney(ASA) to determine if the case should beprosecuted federally, or remain in the statesystem. The State of Florida has enactedvery stringent firearms laws and has ensuredthat convicted felons spend 85% of theirsentences behind bars.

Part of the PSN Smart Prosecution

strategy includes the vigorous prosecution ofjuvenile offenders as adults by stateauthorities when juveniles use firearms tocommit violent crimes. The State of Floridahas flexible procedures that allow stateprosecutors to direct file charges againstjuveniles and to treat the juveniles as adults.Significant prison sentences have beenobtained both in state and federal courts forarmed career criminals and those individualswho have committed firearm violence.

As part of their PSN/Project Sentry initiativefor the past several years, the districts PSNTask Force has awarded PSN grant moneyto outstanding juvenile firearm crimeprevention strategies. PSN grant money wasawarded to the Escambia County SheriffsOffice for a project that (1) focuses oneducating youth on gun safety and theconsequences of being involved in gun-related crimes and (2) provides closeprobationary monitoring for all juvenilesunder sentences for gun-related offenses.Additionally, the SAs Office in AlachuaCounty was awarded a grant for its projectto reduce gun violence using the resourcesof the SAs Office and community outreachefforts. The project educates at-risk youththrough a gun violence reduction program,and provides an educational program for

Their PSN research partner, the FloridaDepartment of Law Enforcement (FDLE),has reported a continuing decrease infirearm-related criminal offenses during theimplementation period of their PSNinitiative. In 2004, the district overallmaintained significantly decreased guncrime numbersdown less than one percentover 2003, but 14.3% lower than in 2002and 18.8% lower than 2001. FDLE has alsodetermined that several of the PSN targetcounties experienced decreases in firearmoffenses in 2004, when compared with 2003.Alachua County experienced a 2.7%decrease in firearm offenses, and BayCounty experienced an 8.9% decrease infirearm offenses.

schools identified as having higherincidences of violence and ganginvolvement.

PSN grants have also been awarded to theLeon County Sheriffs Office and thePensacola Police Department for thedevelopment and implementation of an

24


29/123

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

innovative gun violence prevention programin the schools. The program usesprofessional videotapes that are viewed incounty middle and high schools to educatestudents about firearm safety, the dangers of

gun violence, and the serious consequencesof bringing weapons into schools.

An additional juvenile firearm crimeprevention program was awarded PSN grantmoney by the PSN Task Force late last fall.The Gainesville Police DepartmentsPreventing Youth Firearm Violenceproject addresses at-risk juveniles currentlyunder sentence of probation forfirearm/weapon offenses. Two officers, a

representative of the SAs Office, and ajuvenile resource officer help to monitor theoffenders by making periodic bi-weeklyunannounced visits. The close monitoringhelps the offenders remain crime free, andthe supervisors use the opportunity toeducate the offenders about gun violenceprevention.

The districts PSN outreach partner, theFlorida Department of Corrections, hasprinted hundreds of copies of the districtsPSN brochure, distributed them and otherPSN materials at various community anti-drug rallies, and has made PSNpresentations to law enforcement agenciesand community groups such asNeighborhood Watch. The Department ofCorrections ordered 10,000 Gun LockSafety Kits from Project ChildSafe anddistributed them to community membersthroughout the district. The Department ofCorrections has also distributed PSN postersand materials to all state prisons and countyjails, and it is now distributing PSNmaterials to newly-released state prisoners.


The Southern District of Floridas ProjectSafe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative isexecuted through four Regional Task force

groups: The Northern Counties region (PalmBeach, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Martin, andHighlands counties); the Broward Countyregion; the North Miami-Dade region, andthe South Miami-Dade region. Their taskforce efforts focus on research-basedenforcement and prevention activities as thekeys to successful implementation of theirPSN strategy.

The districts PSN research partner has

worked with the law enforcementcomponents to create an area-wideunderstanding about the levels of firearmscrimes occurring throughout the SouthFlorida area. This effort includes statisticsand geographic analysis, and it informs thetask force participants about the locationsand extent of firearms-related criminalactivity to facilitate optimal leveraging andallocation of resources. The followingexamples demonstrate some of thecontributions of the districts researchpartner:

The research partner worked with theMiami-Dade State Attorney (SA) tocreate an internal tracking system forfirearms charges on a weekly basisnosmall task considering that in 2005Miami-Dade County had 6,579 arrestsinvolving firearms charges.

In Broward County, the research partnerworked with the Sheriffs Office toobtain data on all individuals bookedinto the jail. In 2004, Broward Countyhad 1,006 arrests, and in the first quarterof 2005, it had 340 arrests all involvingfirearms charges.

25


30/123


On the prevention and intervention side,district task forces are activelyimplementing reentry-related strategies.The PSN research partner tracks and mapsreentry statistics on a quarterly basis for the

entire district. In 2005, over 7,500individuals re-entered the Southern Districtof Florida. They hosted two district-widereentry summits that received nationalattention and pulled the district intopartnerships with several organizations,including the Governors Statewide Ex-Offender Reentry Task Force. They also co-hosted a meeting with the Drug Czar, JohnP. Walters, Director of the Office ofNational Drug Control Policy, and his staff

with local corrections officials and inmatesto outline reentry obstacles and substanceabuse issues.

In Palm Beach County, the researchpartner worked with the Criminal JusticeCoordinating Commission to assist themin identifying firearms incidentsthroughout the area. (In 2004 Palm

Beach County had 724 reported firearmsincidents.) The Commission is alsoworking with PSN and a large task forceof law enforcement, prevention andcorrectional organizations to present aplan to the county for funding acomprehensive violence reduction effort.

As a direct result of PSN funding, fromNovember 2004 to March 2005, a MiamiDade PSN task force of six officers from

three police departments performed highvisibility enforcement activities twice aweek. During these 40 plus shifts, theyconcentrated on cross-jurisdictional hotspots and crime trends, conducted over355 field interviews, made over 49arrests directly and seized 10 firearms.Working in partnership with a largepolice operation in their target area, theyassisted in making an additional 79arrests and seizing four additional

firearms. While most of the cases arestill pending, six of the individualsarrested were career criminals and arebeing prosecuted federally.

In the northern counties region, the St. LucieCounty Public Defenders Office has teamedwith local entitlement agencies and severalfaith-based ministries in an effort to educatetheir communities about the importance ofcommunity involvement in solving therecidivism problem. As a starting point, theteam worked with the PSN research partnerto gain an understanding of the individualsre-entering the four counties. Theinformation gleaned is being used to developand guide programs to support reentryefforts. They have also instituted law

enforcement-related media campaigns inthe northern counties and in the Miami-Dade County regions. The SouthernDistrict has initiated as part of their PSNpatrols a reentry strategy of follow-up

visits to recently released ex-offenders,who have relocated to Weed andSeed/Hot Spot Neighborhoods. Theyhave also recently completed the firsttwo phases of an extensive multi-jurisdictional joint investigationimpacting Miamis Liberty City area.

In the Broward County region, the teamsponsored development and publication of areentry resource guide (hard copy and online) for use by service providers whosework impacts re-entrants. They also brieflysponsored an ex-offender liaison to assistnew re-entrants coming into their hot spotcommunities, with referrals to agencies andorganizations set up to meet their immediatetransitional needs. They sponsored anti-gun-violence and gun safety presentations in

26


31/123

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA

hot spot area middle schools, and they co-sponsored a number of summer campactivities, including makin

Project Safe Neighborhoods Report 2010

Documents

Transcript of Project Safe Neighborhoods Report 2010