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Action Formation of a SafeCities Network: Performance Partnerships To Reduce Gun Violence

Authority Citation
Non-statutory.

Background
All of our citizens deserve to live in safe, violence-free communities. The SafeCities Network builds upon the local, state, and federal partnerships that have helped improve the safety of our communities. SafeCities connects and supports innovative communities across the country collaborating to enhance public safety. SafeCities also seeks to minimize administrative barriers to problem solving and help communities maximize currently available federal resources. The initiative was recommended by the Crime Mapping and Data Driven Management Task Force, a joint task force of the Department of Justice and the National Partnership for Reinventing Government. It builds upon President Clinton's directive on Deterring and Reducing Gun Crime. It was formally announced by Vice President Gore on June 21, 1999 at the "Family Re-Union," an annual discussion of public policy from the perspective of families that he moderates in Nashville, Tennessee.

Announcement
The SafeCities Network announces the formation of performance partnerships between the federal government and community-based partnerships to reduce gun violence. This is our first step toward the creation of a national network of communities working together to enhance public safety for their citizens. The network will encourage communities to collaborate with each other and the federal partners to: Reduce gun violence; Promote prevention, early intervention, and enforcement; Address barriers at the federal, state, and local level-- in ways allowable under current law--to increase the flexibility and effectiveness of resources; Obtain technical support and facilitate access to best practices employed in various communities; and Share lessons with other communities.

What Are the Benefits to Communities and Law Enforcement Agencies?
This initiative is not a grant program. In order to help communities reduce gun violence and promote public safety the SafeCities Network will:

• Connect communities and law enforcement agencies with peers working on similar issues;
• Support partners and share lessons learned via a SafeCities website;

• Give national recognition to innovative communities for their effective strategies and results;

• Link to the U.S. Attorney and ATF integrated firearms violence reduction strategy; [Page 37817]

• Link to other federal initiatives such as the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative, Gang Resistance Education and Training Program, Weed and Seed program, Strategic Approaches to Community Safety Initiative, and Partnerships to Reduce Juvenile Gun Violence;

• Facilitate access to technical support and expertise through a federal champion;

• Support consolidated planning on the community level and provide greater flexibility in administering grant funds with related goals as allowed under current law;

• Provide assistance in assessing factors contributing to gun violence in each community and tailoring strategies and tactics to address them; and

• Help communities and local law enforcement agencies measure results and obtain expert advice in devising strategies for collecting, analyzing, and using data to achieve results.

How Does My Community Express Interest in the SafeCities?
Potential partners should submit a brief Expression of Interest. To minimize any burden, submissions should be under ten pages in length. Communities are encouraged to use existing plans and documents wherever possible.

Selection Criteria
The National Steering Committee will select local partners based on: Existence of a partnership with a comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence using a balance of prevention, intervention, and enforcement strategies;

• Existence of explicit community goals or report card for public safety and a demonstrated commitment by the partners to use data to plan, implement, and evaluate strategies to reduce gun violence;

• Effective leadership and participation of key stakeholders such as federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, education officials, faith community representatives, business leaders, or other key community members;

• Readiness and commitment of partners to work together, cut red tape, coordinate operations, use current funding more effectively, and achieve better results;

• Potential impact of proposed performance partnership on the reduction of gun violence and time frame provided in the Expression of Interest; and

• Balance in terms of geography, demographic characteristics, and areas of focus.

Expressions of Interest
Expressions of Interest in partnerships must be received by close of business on August 15, 1999. They may be submitted by mail, fax or electronically to:

SafeCities,
National Partnership for Reinventing Government,
Suite 200,
750 17th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20007,
Fax: (202) 632-0390,
SafeCities@npr.gov

More Information
For questions or additional information, please call:
Jeff Slowikowski
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
(202) 307-5929

Malcolm Brady
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
(202) 927-7890

Pamela Johnson/Wesley Dickerson
National Partnership for Reinventing Government
(202) 694-0001
Pamela Johnson,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 99-17811 Filed 7-12-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3115-01-M