Skip to main content

The Northern District of California Project Safe Neighborhoods/Anti-Gang Initiative

The Northern District of California — A National PSN/AGI Leader — Implementing a Broader Strategy

Since 2008, the Northern District of California’s (NDCA) Project Safe Neighborhoods/Anti-Gang Initiative (PSN/AGI) program has been focusing on all three legs of addressing violent crime – enforcement, prevention and reentry.
 

In July of 2010, two local partners received PSN National Achievement Awards.  The San Francisco Police Department received the PSN National Achievement Award for Outstanding Local Police Department Involvement and the Youth Intervention Network in Antioch, California received the PSN National Achievement Award for Outstanding Community Involvement.

These outstanding programs are discussed further in sections  SFPD & NDCA and PSN District Grants.

Although grant funds for the PSN/AGI program have been dramatically reduced in the federal budget (NDCA went from $1.75 million in 2007 to a current allocation of $173,867) the NDCA has remained committed to reducing gun and gang violence by partnering with local law enforcement (Chiefs, Sheriffs and District Attorneys), the California Attorney General’s Office, the California Governor’s Office and improving the coordination with the FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE/HSI and other federal agencies in areas of high violent crime and gang, gun and drug activity.  This effort is concentrated in seven areas of concern: Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, East Palo Alto, San Jose, and Salinas.

As part of this coordinated effort, the USAO worked with the FBI to expand and add task forces to cover each of the seven areas.  San Francisco and East Palo Alto are covered by the FBI San Francisco Safe Streets Task Force; San Jose by the FBI Santa Clara County Violent Gang Task Force; Salinas by the North Central Coast Gang Task Force; Oakland and Richmond by the FBI Safe Streets East Bay Gang Task Force; Santa Rosa by the FBI North Bay Regional Gang Task Force.  These task forces align local, state and federal efforts and coincide with the same priorities of the USAO in developing cases for prosecution with the highest impact in reducing violence in these communities.  The USAO also works with the ATF and DEA and other federal agencies to direct energies toward these areas of high gun and gang violence.  The USAO has partnered with several cities in Operation Ceasefire efforts and ATF, FBI and now DEA are participating with the USAO in the gang “call-ins” in Salinas, Oakland, Richmond, East Palo Alto and Union City.

Map of NDCA Proactive Organized District-wide Support System

The NDCA PSN program looks at all aspects of reducing violent crime – intervention, prevention, suppression, enforcement and re-entry – and fully recognizes that arresting, convicting and incarcerating individuals will not curb violent crime over the long term.  The NDCA has placed a special emphasis on directing PSN grant funds toward organizations helping at risk youth in our community and most grants funds have been directed toward organizations addressing the needs of at risk youth and preventing their entry into the criminal justice system.  While grant funds were targeted to these organizations, coordinated manpower and organized, directed efforts of local, state and federal agencies were aimed at major gangs takedowns and a number of  “worst of the worst” repeat criminal offenders were targeted for federal prosecution.

This holistic approach has been highlighted in two gang crime summits (Oakland and Salinas) where the U.S. Attorney effectively used the power to convene mayors, elected officials, school administrators, local business interests, community leaders, and service providers together with law enforcement at the local, state and federal levels to address all aspects of a lasting violence reduction effort.  The NDCA has worked successfully with local, state and federal entities as well as community leaders and organizations to address violent crime by forging better, more aggressive, targeted, and efficient anti-violence strategies.   In working together, law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve can achieve critical goals with fewer resources.

To learn more about these efforts please see the following sections on the NDCA website:

To reach the NDCA's PSN Coordinator, please contact:

Annemarie Conroy
Assistant U.S. Attorney
Northern District of California
PSN Coordinator
450 Golden Gate Avenue, 11th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 436-7067
Annemarie.Conroy@usdoj.gov

 

 

Updated January 10, 2023