Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $91,330)
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 Louisville Jefferson County Metro Government, serving as the fiscal agent for the Western District of Kentucky, will use the grant to support the Project Backfire program. Project Backfire is a partnership between the U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Kentucky, Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney, Jefferson County Attorney, Kentucky Department of Probation and Parole, Louisville Metro Criminal Justice Commission, and others, and provides consistent and aggressive enforcement of existing laws governing the illegal possession and/or use of a firearm. Grant funds will retain the Project Backfire Coordinator, who is responsible for organizing the resources of the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney, Jefferson County Attorney's Office, and the U.S. Attorney's Office, to ensure that cases are prosecuted in the venue that will create the highest probability of conviction and maximum amount of incarceration time. Project Backfire will also retain the specialized prosecutor who will handle a significant portion of the gun-related cases. Finally, the funds will pay for travel to BJA-related training.
NCA/NCF