BOLTON, MISSISSIPPI. – Today, United States Representative Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced the award of a $132,447 grant by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the FY ’07 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) to the Mississippi Division of Public Safety Planning.  

The Mississippi Division of Public Safety Planning will use FY’07 PSN funds to target increasing gun and gang crime in the City of Jackson through prevention and enforcement methods.  The Southern District will fund the following activities: 1) Conduct a media campaign to raise public awareness and target those vulnerable to prosecution under federal gun laws; 2) Hire a publicity/program coordinator to help guide the promotion and the program itself; 3) Provide overtime to officers to address violent crimes involving guns in the Jackson metropolitan area; 4) Purchase unmarked vehicles for the gun identification unit to investigate and make arrests in the worst areas of Jackson.

For more information about this grant, please contact Marion Word, Bureau Director at (601) 987-4148, or the Office of Justice Program’s Office of Communications at (202) 307-0703.