5400 Federal Plaza
Suite 1500
Hammond, IN 46320

219.937.5500

District Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)
Community Outreach Kick-off

The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) public outreach campaign has officially started throughout the Northern District of Indiana. The U.S. Attorney’s Office held an initial series of four media events announcing the PSN Community Outreach Kickoff. The events were spread across four geographic locations to cover the larger metropolitan areas throughout the Northern District of Indiana. The four locations where events were held included: Ft. Wayne/Allen County, Lafayette/Tippecanoe County, South Bend/St. Joseph County and Gary/Lake County.

On Tuesday, October 7, 2003, the first media event took place in front of the Allen County Courthouse in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. There were representatives from the Fort Wayne Police Department; Allen County Sheriff’s Office; Allen County Prosecutor’s Office; the City of Ft. Wayne Mayor’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshal’s Service; and U.S. Attorney’s Office to announce the beginning of this campaign in Ft. Wayne/Allen County.

On Wednesday, October 15, 2003, the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in the second of four media events that took place in front of Reihle Plaza in Lafayette, Indiana. Representatives from the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department; West Lafayette Police Department; Purdue University Police Department; Indiana State Police; Indiana Sheriff’s Association; Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshal’s Service; and U.S. Attorney’s Office along with the Mayor of Lafayette were present to announce their cooperative partnership to reduce gun violence in Lafayette/Tippecanoe County.

On Thursday, October 16, 2003, a PSN media event took place at the South Bend Century Center. This event announced the partnership to reduce gun violence through community outreach along with utilizing advanced ballistics technology. Representatives from the South Bend Police Department; St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office; Indiana Department of Correction/Parole Division; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshal’s Service; and U.S. Attorney’s Office along with the Mayor of South Bend were involved with this event in South Bend/St. Joseph County.

On Monday, October 20, 2003, the fourth media event took place in front of the Gary City Hall. A bus from the Gary City Public Transportation Corporation was parked in front of the City Hall to display the Public Service Announcement placards that ran down the side. The Mayor of Gary was present, along with representatives from Gary Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and U.S. Attorney’s Office to announce Gary/Lake County’s efforts to reduce gun violence. After the announcement of PSN outreach efforts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office made a presentation of crime scene investigation equipment that was given to the Police Department to assist their officers in gathering firearms evidence. The crime scene equipment included: two digital cameras, two magnetometers, three dry finger print kits, three wet finger print kits, two micro-blue lights and evidence collection bags. It was given to the Gary PD in order to enhance their patrol officers’ crime scene equipment.

The goal of the outreach campaign is to educate the public, potential offenders, convicted felons and law enforcement of the consequences enforced by this initiative for possessing an illegally obtained firearm or, in some circumstances, a single bullet. Educational components of PSN outreach include a video of public service announcements, posters, bumper stickers and pamphlets geared towards deterring individuals from using or possessing illegal firearms. Also, the U.S. Attorney’s Office along with Federal, State and Local probation/parole agencies have required that convicted felons sign an agreement explaining that they are not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition. If they are caught, they will be prosecuted and face five to fifteen years in federal prison with no chance for parole or time reduced for good behavior.