Reauthorizes and expands the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program to combat violent crime by supporting law enforcement, crime analysts, and community engagement, and requires transparency through annual reports.
Joe Neguse
Representative
CO-2
The "Project Safe Neighborhoods Reauthorization Act of 2025" reauthorizes and modifies the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program, allowing funds to be used for hiring crime analysts, covering overtime costs, and acquiring technology to reduce violent crime. It extends the program's authorization through fiscal year 2030 and supports multi-jurisdictional task forces. Additionally, it mandates the Attorney General to submit annual reports to the Judiciary Committees detailing fund expenditures, community outreach, and violent crime statistics in areas using program funds.
Project Safe Neighborhoods Gets a Boost: New Funding for Tech and Staff Through 2030
The Project Safe Neighborhoods Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends a federal grant program aimed at reducing violent crime, greenlighting it to run through 2030. Originally launched in 2001, this program operates across all 94 federal judicial districts, pulling together law enforcement, local leaders, and community groups. This reauthorization doesn't just keep the lights on—it expands what the money can be used for.
More Than Just Boots on the Ground
The 2025 reauthorization tweaks the existing law, allowing funds to be used in new ways. Besides supporting law enforcement, the program can now:
- Hire Crime Analysts: These are the folks who dig into crime data to help law enforcement understand and tackle criminal threats. (SEC. 3)
- Bring on Law Enforcement Assistants: They handle the crucial, behind-the-scenes work that supports officers in investigations and administrative tasks. (SEC. 3)
- Fund Overtime: Grants can cover overtime for officers, prosecutors, and now, law enforcement assistants, all working directly on Project Safe Neighborhoods. (SEC. 3)
- Invest in Tech: Money can be spent on buying and using technology specifically to help reduce violent crime. (SEC. 3)
Real-World Rollout
Imagine a local police department struggling with a spike in robberies. Under this program, they could use grant funds to hire a crime analyst to pinpoint hot spots and times, or bring in a law enforcement assistant to help process evidence faster. They could also pay for extra officer patrols in those high-crime areas during peak times, and maybe even invest in software that predicts crime patterns. This isn't just about more policing; it's about smarter, more targeted approaches.
Eyes Wide Open
This reauthorization also ramps up transparency. The Attorney General has to send an annual report to the Judiciary Committees in both the Senate and the House. (SEC. 5) This report has to break down, for every area using these grants:
- Exactly how the money was spent.
- What kind of community outreach was done.
- Detailed numbers and descriptions of violent crimes—murders, non-negligent manslaughter, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults.
This means Congress—and the public—will get a clearer look at how these funds are being used and whether they're actually making a difference. It also supports multi-jurisdictional task forces, per the Officer Ella Grace French and Sergeant Jim Smith Task Force Support Act of 2025 (SEC. 4). The inclusion of detailed crime reporting, including specific categories like murder and rape, ensures a focus on the most serious offenses. (SEC. 5)