Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 5, 2007

Schumer Announces $200,000 Coming To City Of Buffalo For Crime Prevention And Policing Initiatives

DOJ "Weed And Seed" Program Provides Funds For Local Law Enforcement To "Weed Out" Criminals And Communities To "Seed In" Prevention, Intervention, And Treatment Services

City of Buffalo's Lower East Side Site Will Use Funds To Pay For Community Policing Initiatives

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that $200,000 has been awarded to the City of Buffalo’s Lower East Side Weed and Seed site to reduce violent crime and drug activity through community policing initiatives. The funds are being awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Weed and Seed Program.

"This is great news for the City of Buffalo,” said Schumer. “These funds are going toward a program that works to shut down violent criminals and reduce drug activity. Implementing community policing programs is not just a short term response—it provides long term solutions by focusing on prevention and community partnerships.”

The City of Buffalo’s Lower East Side Weed and Seed site received Official Recognition in June 2006. This represents the site’s second award to implement its strategy. Weed and Seed Street boundaries include Jefferson Street on the west, William Street, and Bailey Avenue on the east and Sycamore Street on the north. During this project period, law enforcement efforts will reduce street violent crimes such as drug dealing and aggravated assaults. Community policing goals will enhance police visibility and police presence in order to reduce quality-of-life crimes. Prevention, intervention, and treatment goals include a comprehensive approach for educational and skill enhancement, Healthy Life Choices/Character Development training, and substance abuse prevention, intervention, and treatment within the community. Neighborhood restoration goals will restore the neighborhood through increased home maintenance, housing rehabilitation, and home ownership.

The Weed and Seed program works to prevent, reduce and control violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity in specifically targeted high-crime areas across the country. Its name comes from a two-part approach to these areas. One involves law enforcement agencies and prosecutors getting together to "weed out" individuals who participate in violent crime or drug abuse in an attempt to keep them out of the targeted area. The second part, "seeding," includes bringing social services to the area in order to push for prevention, intervention and treatment, as well as neighborhood restoration. Since 1994, the Department of Justice has allocated at least $9 million annually nationwide for Weed and Seed related task forces administered through the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other DOJ agencies.

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