PSN Funded Projects

Application Number: 2021-GP-22-02
Agency: City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD)
Amount: $132,391
Project Duration:10/1/2022 – 9/30/2023

Summary
The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) will use PSN funding to support one new full-time employee (NIBIN Technician) and one existing part-time employee (NIBIN Civilian Criminal Investigator – currently funded through another grant that will expire on December 31, 2022) within the CSPD Metro Crime Lab (MCL). These staff will directly support the PSN goal of developing violence reduction strategies by enabling the CSPD to reduce the processing turnaround time of violent crime scene cartridge casings from the current 30 days to a goal of 48 hours or less. CSPD participates in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program and currently relies on the Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI) for the processing of cartridge casings. The additional staff requested will enable our team to do this work at our own MCL, dramatically reducing turnaround time and increasing CSPD’s ability to reduce overall community violence and gang related activity.
 

Application Number: 2020-GP-22-01
Agency: City of Aurora, Aurora Police Department
Amount: $272,258
Project Duration: 4/1/2022 – 9/30/2023

Summary
Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAVEN) is a multidisciplinary task force consisting of 15 different federal, state, and local Metropolitan agencies. RAVEN'S mission is to forensically identify and focus investigative, prosecutorial and community resources to remove and disrupt violent criminals, gangs and drug traffickers that plague our neighborhoods. RAVEN investigates gun related violent crimes by using NIBIN, acoustic gunshot detection, cellular phone, social media exploitation and traditional crime laboratory techniques to proactively identify violent offenders and objectively investigate shootings. Project’s goals: 1. Reduce the rate of homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies committed with a firearm within the targeted Denver metro. 2. Reduce the rate of gang-related homicides and aggravated assaults within the targeted Denver metro. 3. Increase the participation in and completion of gang abatement programs by identifying at risk youth through the forensic activities.
 

Application Number: 2020-GP-22-20
Agency: City and County of Denver, Denver Police Department
Amount: $137,259
Project Duration: 4/1/2022 – 9/30/2023

Summary
To address increases in gun violence and reduce escalating gang violence in the community, the Denver Police Department is requesting funding to ensure the timeliness and quality of forensic investigations by the Crime Laboratory and to reduce the likelihood of retaliatory violence related to gang events. This will be accomplished through the purchasing of a fuming chamber to improve latent print recovery from firearms and a crime scene scanner to improve the speed and accuracy of crime scene documentation. Additionally, the SORT section (formerly Gang Unit) will work with our GRID and community partners to respond when gang violence does occur to prevent future escalation.

Application Number: 2018-GP-19-0001
Agency: City of Aurora, Aurora Police Department
Amount: $106,754
Project Duration: 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2021
 

Summary
Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAVEN) is a multidisciplinary task force consisting of 11 different federal, state and local Metropolitan agencies whose mission is "to forensically identify and focus investigative, prosecutorial and community resources to remove and disrupt violent criminals, gangs and drug traffickers that plague our neighborhoods". RAVEN follows the 2013 Crime Gun Intelligence Center model for gun related crimes by using NIBIN and Shot Spotter data to proactively and objectively investigate shootings. The project’s goals are: 1. Reduce the rate of homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies committed with a firearm within the targeted Denver metro area. 2. Reduce the rate of gang-related homicides, aggravated assaults and robberies within the targeted Denver metro area. 3. Increase the participation in and completion of gang abatement programs by identifying at-risk youth through the intelligence activities of RAVEN.
 

Application Number: 2018-GP-19-0002
Agency: City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD)
Amount: $134,518
Project Duration: 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2022
 

Summary
To combat offenses involving firearms, CSPD partnered with the ATF and the DOD to test a mobile gunshot detection system in an area with a high concentration of reported gunfire. The pinpointed location of the gunfire allows for a focused patrol response and gathering of physical evidence. Furthermore, CSPD is expanding its National Integrated Ballistic Information Network program by deploying BrassTrax™ to digitally image cartridge casings. As a BrassTrax™ lab, the CSPD Metro Crime Lab will be a member of the National Correlation Center. Initially, ATF indicated they may be able to provide personnel to operate BrassTrax™. However, CSPD was informed staffing will not be provided, which creates an urgent and unfunded need. CSPD proposes to hire a grant-funded Firearms Examiner to meet this unfunded need.

Application Number: 2018-GP-19-0003
Agency: Greeley Police Department
Amount: $55,327
Project Duration: 10/1/2019 – 9/30/2022
 

Summary
The Greeley Police Department proposes to increase the number of federal and state gang related prosecutions of gang members and repeat offenders who commit violent crimes, seize illegal firearms and those weapons used in the commission of a crime, and increase training of surrounding police agencies and public service groups.

Application Numbers: 2018-GP-19-0004, 2018-GP-19-0004-2
Agency: Impact Empowerment Group, Inc. (IEG)
Amount: $74,150
Project Duration: 10/1/2019 – 4/30/2022

Summary
IEG addresses two root causes of violent crime in Denver's Northeast Corridor: gang activity and limited economic mobility. Gang Activity: IEG will utilize grassroots outreach services and cooperative efforts (partnering with law enforcement, DOJ, school, community service providers, and other agencies) to identify and detect individual and group conflicts that have the potential to erupt in violence. IEG employs a Community Outreach Specialist (violence interrupter) who uses a proactive intervention approach that includes violence prediction, de-escalation, family and community engagement, retaliation prevention, and gang disengagement through Life Coaching that builds positive self-identity. Career Navigation: IEG provides personal supports to help gang-affiliated individuals pursue alternate paths that promote belonging and earning. IEG's Career Navigator operates employment and entrepreneurship services: workforce training and placement and a 6-week entrepreneurship bootcamp.