U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $541,026 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program in the Middle District of Florida. Funding will support law enforcement and community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. As part of the strategy, PSN partners focus on prevention and intervention efforts through community engagement and problem-solving partnerships, strategic enforcement of the most violent offenders, and locally based reentry programs to reduce recidivism. The grant is one of a number of awards being made to state and local agencies across the country. Funds are administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.

Launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to serious gun crime, Project Safe Neighborhoods, known as PSN, is a key component of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, outlined by Deputy Attorney General Monaco in May 2021. The PSN approach is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place; 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.

“Public safety is our number one priority,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement and community partners to find sustainable solutions for reducing crime and creating safer communities.”