GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten has announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded $192,976 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the Western District of Michigan. The funding will go to support community efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district.
Project Safe Neighborhoods was launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to serious gun crime. The program 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.
- Measuring the results of their efforts.
Project Safe Neighborhood is a key component of the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, which was outlined by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
“Police and prosecutors cannot solve violent crimes alone,” said Totten. “Addressing violence requires a holistic approach that facilitates cooperation between law enforcement and community stakeholders, and a forward-thinking strategy for addressing the underlying causes of violence before it occurs. These funds will support projects specifically designed to keep West Michigan residents safe.”
“Reducing violence and sustaining those reductions will require strong partnerships between criminal justice agencies and community stakeholders and a shared commitment to the safety and well-being of every community member,” said OJP Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg. “The investments we are making through Project Safe Neighborhoods will enable every stakeholder to play a part in building safer and healthier communities.”
“Over its two-decade history, Project Safe Neighborhoods has evolved to meet the complex challenges of community violence by enlisting the insights and expertise of local partners and by relying on the latest evidence,” said BJA Director Karhlton F. Moore. “We are proud to support our U.S. Attorneys and their allies in their critical work to curb violence crime and build the mutual trust necessary to ensure lasting success.”
