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DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> 07-OS <br /> January 30, 2007 <br /> TO: Steve Garman,City Manager <br /> Jerry Bauer,Asst. City Manager <br /> FROM: James A. Anderson, Chief of Police � <br /> ' James R Chervinko,Deputy Chief of Police <br /> SUBJECT: Project Safe Neighborhood Grant � <br /> SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: T6e Decatur Police Department has <br /> been selected to receive a grant in the amount of$70,759.50 from Project Safe � <br /> Neighborhoods to assist in the funding of the Department's newly formed Anti , <br /> Crime Team. The U.S.Attorney assisted the Decatur Police Department in ' <br /> obtaining the grant and recognizes our well-developed initiative to address violent � <br /> crime issues. T6ere are no matching funds associated with Project 5afe ' <br /> Neig66orhoods. I <br /> BACKGROUND: In response to the sharp increase in violent gun crime over <br /> the past several years,the Decatur Police Department introduced the Anti-Crime <br /> Team (AC� in July 2006. The overall mission of the ACT is to reduce the violent <br /> crime in our City. The main enforcement focus is being placed on gangs, drugs and <br /> guns as these three related issues are our major causes for violent crime. The ACT <br /> focuses their enforcement efforts on habitual violent offenders and to reclaim <br /> neighborhoods suffering from a high volume of shootings and other violent crimes. <br /> Additionally, the ACT is utiiized to locate victims and witnesses in major case <br /> investigations or other violent crime incidents, conduct covert surveillance on <br /> habitual violent offenders and in high crime neighborhoods. The team works closely <br /> wit6 patrol division personnel and specialized investigation units within the <br /> department, and outside law enforcement agencies such as the United States <br /> Attorneys Office,the Federal Bureau of Investigation,the United St�tes Marshal's <br /> Service,the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Macon County <br /> States Attorneys Office. ACT also has developed a close working relationship with <br /> community groups such as Coalition of Neighborhood Organiz�tions (CONO) and <br /> several faith based organizations providing services in the community. The Gang <br /> Specialist and two Street Crime Detectives assist the team in their targeting efforts <br /> of habitual violent offenders and drug dealers in the neighborhoods. The Crime <br /> Analysis Unit and Gang Specialist ptay major roles in providing the needed <br /> information for the proper allocation of resources. Tactics and responsibilities <br /> evolve as needed to best address the overall mission; to reduce violent crime in the <br /> City. The ACT works on duty as time allows but most work is accomplished on <br /> overtime. <br />