The U.S. Senate recently approved bipartisan legislation cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) to reauthorize Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide law enforcement program aimed at reducing violent crime.
“Communities across the country are seeing an increase in crime, and Congress needs to act,” Sen. Tillis said on Aug. 8. “This legislation provides much-needed support to law enforcement to combat crime and map overdose patterns.”
The bill would authorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods program for fiscal years 2024-2028 at $50 million. Federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors form a partnership under the program, which uses data-based approaches to reduce violent crime. Enforcement efforts are focused on organized crime and repeat offenders that increase crime in a particular jurisdiction.
The Project Safe Neighborhoods Reauthorization Act of 2023, S. 1387, was passed by the Senate on July 26 and sent to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration the following day. The bill was sponsored by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in May and cosponsored by Sen. Tillis, along with U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Gary Peters (D-MI), among others.
The legislation is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, Major County Sheriffs of America, the National District Attorneys Association, and other groups.
Project Safe Neighborhoods was linked to a 13 percent decrease in violent crime in cities with a high rate of program participation, according to a Michigan State University study funded by the Department of Justice in 2013.
“I am proud to work on this commonsense legislation to create safer neighborhoods for future generations,” Sen. Tillis added.