Congressman Cohen Announces $112,418 Grant to Reduce Gun Crime in 9th District
September 5, 2008
“I am very pleased that the Department of Justice has awarded these monies to be used at the discretion of the Shelby County District Attorney General to reduce gun violence in our community,” said Congressman Cohen. “While the 9th District has made progress in reducing the number of guns on the street with stiffer penalties, we have a long way to go. This program will link existing local programs together and provide them with the necessary tools to get guns out of the hands of criminals and out of our neighborhoods.”
PSN takes a hard line against gun criminals, using every available means to create safer neighborhoods. It also seeks to achieve greater coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement and emphasizes tactical intelligence gathering, more aggressive prosecutions and enhanced accountability through performance measures. The U.S. Attorney in each federal judicial district will lead the offensive, and the fiscal agent – in this case, Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office – will allocate funds throughout the community.
The Shelby County District Attorney General’s office will use the grant funds to pay for:
- A gang coordinator to over see the anti-gang strategy;
- Undercover vehicles and equipment designed to aid investigations and enforcement activities including search warrant entry tools, computer enhancements, crime scene and evidence documentation, and evidence collection for the Memphis Police Department; and
- Travel costs for the District Attorney’s Office to attend the annual PSN conference.
“This Congress has made the eradication of violent crime in our cities a major priority,” said Congressman Cohen. “I will continue to fight for more funding for the 9th District to end gun violence and organized crime in Memphis. I thank the Department of Justice on behalf of the people of the 9th District for equipping our local law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to clean up our streets.”
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Contact:
Marilyn Dillihay, Press Secretary, 202-225-3265
Charlie Gerber, Communications Assistant, 202-225-3265