Project Safe Neighborhood

Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice/Bureau of Justice

-we were contacted to be the Community Engagement Partner for the local Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force by the US States Attorneys office

--Implementing a national program across the 93 districts following models in:

Richmond, VA (Project Exile)
Since 1997 with start of project, homicides dropped 48%, gun crimes decreased 65%, and aggravated assaults decreased 39%
Boton, MA (Operation CeaseFire)
And later, Columbia, SC (also called CeaseFire)

Locally we are using the name Alabama ICE: Isolate the Criminal Element

Goal: decrease gun crime incidents in communities and increase the number of gun crime prosecutions
The gist is zero tolerance for gun violators

3 Components:

• Local Law Enforcement
  educate officers on the new laws and how to best gather evidence
• bring together local, state, and federal officers to increase collaborations
• spread the message that the local officers are enforcing gun laws

Research Partner/Crime Analyst

• Evaluate the impact of the programs locally

Media Outreach and Community Engagement (us!)

• promote message that firearm-related crime will meet swift and certain punishment
• encourage citizens to work with law enforcement to address firearm-related crime
• promote gun safety