About Project Safe Neighborhoods

In Eastern Washington, PSN focuses on the most dangerous criminals who are believed to illegally possess firearms, and who create the most risk to our communities, including:

According to federal law, it is illegal for certain residents to use, own, possess or even have access to a firearm or ammunition. This includes:

• Felons, or individuals convicted of felony crimes
• Drug users
• Illegal aliens
• Individuals subject to restraining orders.

If caught with a firearm, these individuals can be prosecuted under existing federal gun laws and receive mandatory prison sentences.

The Eastern Washington PSN focuses on the most dangerous criminals who are believed to possess illegal firearms, and who create the most risk to our communities, including:

• violent drug traffickers
• street gangs
• robbery rings
• gun traffickers who supply illegal firearms to violent organizations and juveniles.

The PSN Team

Law enforcement, prosecutors, and corrections officials who supervise paroled felons work collaboratively through PSN, sharing information and dedicating specialized resources to the gun problem.

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How Project Safe Neighborhoods Works

Coordinated investigations

The PSN team including law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local level, coordinate investigations and share information about criminals who misuse guns. Multi-jurisdictional investigations and specialized investigative units share intelligence about suspected violators. Specialized resources, such as the National Ballistics Testing Network, are being utilized to help trace weapons to crimes.

Aggressive prosecution

Both federal and state laws allow for additional prison penalties when guns are used in a crime. Under PSN, crimes involving guns are carefully screened to determine whether prosecution at the federal or state level will mean stiffer sentences for violators.

Additionally, under PSN, extra prosecutors have been hired in Eastern Washington communities to prosecute gun crimes including:

• Two assistant U.S. attorneys (federal) in Spokane
• Two deputy prosecutors in Spokane County (state and local)
• One Yakima County deputy prosecutor
• One Grant County deputy prosecutor
• One Walla Walla County deputy prosecutor

Community education

In Eastern Washington, PSN is reaching out to help citizens understand how the program helps protect our communities.

• Professionally produced public service announcements, some featuring respected defense lawyer Johnny Cochrane, define the penalties felons face if they carry a firearm
• Presentations are made at community meetings and forums to explain how the program works
• News articles and media reports announce prosecutions under PSN and share general information on the program

Accountability

Research and analysis of gun violence crimes is being conducted by Washington State University Division of Government Studies and Services to track the impact of PSN, and to help the team better deploy resources.

Preliminary results

Since it began in 2002, PSN has already demonstrated a positive impact in reducing gun crime in Eastern Washington:

• Federal prosecution of gun crimes have risen 130% between 2001 and 2002.
• In Spokane County, more than 184 defendants have been charged through the program; as of October 1, 2003, 86 have been sentenced to more than 200 years in prison.

Case Samples

Following are examples of cases that have been prosecuted in state and federal court under Project Safe Neighborhoods. Pending charges are allegations of criminal conduct, and defendants in those cases are presumed innocent until found guilty by a court.

Case Study #1 Botched drug deal provokes Hillyard confrontation
Case Study #2 West Central neighborhood terrorized
Case Study #3 Twisp bar incident ends in arrest

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