Neighborhood State Attorney Initiative Community Projects
As a community based prosecution program, the Neighborhood State Attorney Initiative (NSAI) team members listen and work directly with local officials, residents, law enforcement, schools, businesses, civic groups and faith based organizations to identify the areas of concern and to develop strategies to address those concerns. These include awareness of the nature and extent of crime in targeted areas, reducing crime and the fear of crime, targeting quality of life issues and preventing crime through education and partnerships. By organizing and attending town hall meetings, neighborhood councils, homeowner and neighborhood watch group meetings, and analyzing crime mapping data, several projects of note have been undertaken by the teams. These projects are ongoing and are tailored to meet the needs of each particular community.
Some of the Brevard and Seminole County projects include exclusionary mapping for drug and prostitution offenses, lemonade stands in open drug sale markets, eliminating graffiti and blight, code enforcement issues, youth crime prevention, monitoring recently released criminals, and obtaining community impact testimony for more effective sentencing. By working together with our partners, the NSAI can develop effective problem solving projects to improve the quality of life in our communities.
Brevard County Projects
Project ChildSafe
Project ChildSafe is a nationwide program whose purpose is to promote safe firearms handling and storage practices among all firearm owners. Firearm accidents in the home frequently involve children who find a loaded and unsecured firearm. The goal of Project ChildSafe is to inform and educate all firearm owners on key safety issues and to provide firearm safety kits that include a gun locking device. The lock would prevent curious children from being able to shoot the gun.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) was appointed by the U.S. Department of Justice through a federal grant to administer this program. NSSF was formed in 1961 and has over 2,500 members and is the shooting sports industry's largest and most diverse trade association. NSSF has established partnerships with governors, U.S. Attorneys, State Attorneys, community leaders, and local law enforcement to provide for statewide distribution of firearm safety kits under this grant.
Project ChildSafe also compliments the efforts of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Operation Cease-Fire. One of the key components of both of these programs is prevention. By providing a firearm safety education outreach program that encourages safe handling and proper storage of firearms in the home, Project ChildSafe contributes towards that prevention component.
If you have unlocked or unsecured gun(s) in your home, please contact us for a safety kit. Especially, if you have children in the home. Remember, even if you don't have any children, think of all the times that children may be in your house to visit. All it takes is one child to be curious, and tragedy could result. The kits are free. Call us at (321) 264-5014 for more information or stop by the State Attorney's Office on the 4th floor at 400 South St. in Titusville and pick one up.
Independent Living
The office will be assisting the Brevard County TRIAD program with the Independent Living project. This is a project designed to help seniors remain independent in their own homes as long as possible.
Titusville Apartment Managers Association
The office of the State Attorney is working with the Titusville Police Department, Social Service Agencies in North Brevard, and the Titusville Apartment Managers Association to help solve issues concerning tenants, trespass, eviction, and code enforcement. Monthly meetings are held at the Harry T. Moore Community Center on the third Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m.
Make-a-Difference Day
An example of one of the previous projects involved the creation of hurricane shelter relief packets that were put together by the employees of the Office of the State Attorney to honor Make-a-Difference Dayduring the month of October. Blankets, air mattresses, clothing, washcloths and towels, and personal hygiene products were collected by our employees; and our Neighborhood State Attorney Initiative team distributed the relief packets to local hurricane shelters. These relief packets were distributed with the hope that our office could make a difference in the lives of those who had to leave their home. Other projects have included painting, landscaping and other improvements for seniors, community centers and children's shelters.
Senior Santa Program
The State Attorney's Office, along with TRIAD and many agencies in the County, worked together for another successful year of gathering gifts and delivering them to seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. All items were donated by the community and businesses within our community. This is an annual project.
1400 Senior Valentines Distributed
The State Attorneys Office, North SALT Council, and TRIAD, along with many North Brevard elementary schools worked together again for another successful year of gathering Valentine cards made by the elementary children to be given to the seniors at Nursing Homes, Senior Day Care, Titusville Towers, Parrish Medical Center, and Assisted Living Homes in North Brevard. Over 1300 cards were delivered to them while celebrating their valentine parties. This is also an annual project.
|
