Justice Department Awards More Than $17.5 Million to Support Project Safe Neighborhoods

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. The Rosamond Gifford Foundation in Syracuse was awarded $159,499.00 to administer PSN grant funds in the Northern District of New York.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.

“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”

“We are pleased that the Department of Justice is further investing in violence-prevention efforts in the City of Syracuse,” said United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York Carla B. Freedman. “As a complement to this substantial investment in our communities, my office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of those who commit violent crimes on our streets.”

PSN grant funding can be used to support a wide variety of evidence-based prevention and intervention programs, including Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs — such as violence interrupters, street outreach, and hospital-based interventions — which identify those who are at the highest risk and work to reduce violence through targeted interventions. In addition, PSN sites will have access to training and technical assistance resources to assist them in implementing promising prevention initiatives. Approximately 30 percent of PSN funding must be used to support gang task forces in regions in the United States experiencing a significant or increased presence of criminal or transnational organizations engaging in high levels of violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.

The Syracuse grant award will go to the Syracuse Police Department.  The Syracuse Police Department will use the grant money to support personnel and equipment for anti-gang violence initiatives, such as the Gang Violence Task Force. With approval from BJA, the Fiscal Agent will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects.

“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”

In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.

This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.

PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.