While the $1.5 million federal grant East Baton Rouge Parish has received to implement the Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination Project—or Project BRAVE—is to be used to stem crime in the often-violent 70805 ZIP code, officials hope the lessons learned can be applied to other areas.
District Attorney Hillar Moore III says the research officials are able to begin because of the grant will also be useful in 70802—which includes downtown and Old South Baton Rouge, and “where the numbers have picked up”—as well as in the Gardere area and other parts of the parish.
“We’re going to start real small, and we’re not going to bite off more than we can chew,” Moore says.
The grant, worth up to $500,000 per year over three years, will go toward violent crime research and data analysis tools from LSU, identification of criminal suspects and groups to be targeted, caseworkers and resources to provide substance abuse, mentoring and job training to young people who “choose to leave crime behind,” and support staff.
The city-parish was informed of the grant at the same time that officials were dealing with the impact of Isaac. Metro Councilman Mike Walker, who is running for mayor-president, sent out word of the successful grant application Tuesday, ahead of Mayor Kip Holden’s official announcement today. That touched off another round of statements from Holden and Walker, with Holden saying Walker had nothing to do with securing the grant and Walker maintaining he was only announcing the good news to the community and not trying to take any undue credit for it.
“This is not a political issue,” Holden said at today’s press conference. “It is a matter of public safety. … It will be successful.”
Officials did not define “success” today, except to say that if even a few lives can be saved, the effort will have been worthwhile.
