Title
Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program (Project Safe Neighborhoods) (NB)
This is a request for City Commission approval for the Gainesville Police Department to accept a grant if awarded from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, and Bureau of Justice Assistance in implementing gang and gun crime enforcement, intervention, and prevention initiatives within the community.
Explanation
The Gainesville Police Department has applied for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program, also known as Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), in support of its efforts to reduce gun and gang-related violent crime. The grant deadline was March 3, 2015. The grant awards can be up to $300,000 for our category.
This grant will enable the City of Gainesville to more effectively counter the increasing gang and gang associated activities occurring locally, particularly in the Pine Ridge community. Research conducted by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention finds that gang violence is a product of social disorganization and presumes gangs become chronic and serious problems in communities where key organizations are inadequately integrated and where there are insufficient resources to target gang-involved youth.
Funding from this grant will also be used for operational expenses, employment assistance, and supplies in order to address this issue via prevention, suppression, and intervention. The research partner along with the department’s crime analysts will analyze criminal data and help develop a proactive plan for gun crime and gang violence reduction.
Fiscal Note
There is no match requirement for this grant.
Recommendation
The City Commission authorizes the City Manager to: 1) accept the grant if awarded, by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance; and 2) if awarded, execute any grant documents, subject to approval as to form and legalit...
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