The united states attorneys office (usao) eastern district of arkansas has a long-standing commitment to the project safe neighborhoods (PSN) program

The violent crime rate in several jurisdictions in the eastern district of arkansas, which includes west memphis and little rock, has risen sharply over the past years. Based on a brief analysis of the violent crime patterns, law enforcement has noted a marked increase in gang activity, leading to an increase in violent crime, to include several shooting incidents. The usao proposes to directly review and continue to adopt gun cases on the most violent offenders from the county prosecuting attorney's offices in central arkansas, west memphis, and jonesboro, the geographic hot spot areas. This geographic focus centers around members of the national public safety partnership (PSP) program which was initiated to focus tools and resources to these cities to reduce violent crime. These areas have violent crime rates higher than the national average. The usao eastern district will use funds to continue the implementation of the strategic action plan which addresses violent crime, including, but not limited to, criminal gangs, felonious possessions, and gun cases. Key partners in the usao's PSN initiative are identified as the federal bureau of investigation (FBI), FBI safe streets task force; drug enforcement administration (DEA); bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives (ATF); arkansas state police (ASP); pulaski county sheriff's office; little rock police department; north little rock police department; jacksonville police department; sherwood police department; jefferson county sheriff's office; pine bluff police department; craighead county sheriff's office; jonesboro police department; crittenden county sheriff's office; west memphis police department; helena-west helena police department; PSN identified selection committee; prosecuting attorney's offices: 1ST judicial district (phillips county); 2ND judicial district (craighead county, crittenden county); 6TH judicial district (pulaski county); and 11TH west judicial district (jefferson county); and the arkansas department of finance and administration (fiscal agent).