KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that it had awarded over $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
One of the Project Safe Neighborhoods grant recipients was the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission.
The commission was given $209,477 to support the PSN project that works in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys' Office.
"The Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs, 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," a release from the Department of Justice said.
The Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission is a local nonprofit that runs the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Program as well as as community programs.
"As a nationally recognized nonprofit, we advocate, develop strategies and operate innovative programs that bring people and public safety agencies together to power a safer, better Greater Kansas City community," the commission's website said.
Project Safe Neighborhoods was established two decades ago to help reduce violent crime through evidence-based, community-oriented programming, according to the release.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced in May 2021 that he was updating the PSN approach.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco published an updated PSN approach with 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," according to the release.
“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” Monaco said in the release. “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."
The other Kansas and Missouri organizations that were awarded grants were Wichita State University, who was awarded $167,483, and the Missouri Department of Public Safety, who was awarded $182,683.
