FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 25, 2007

Schumer Announces $200,000 Coming To The City Of Rome 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 Rome Will Use Funds For Community Policing Initiatives

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that $200,000 has been awarded to the City of Rome in Oneida County to prevent violent crime and reduce drug trafficking 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 Rome,” said Schumer.  “These funds are going toward a program that works to shut down 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 Rome will use federal dollars to focus law enforcement efforts on reducing drug trafficking and violent crime through a coordination of law enforcement efforts with numerous law enforcement and criminal justice agencies.  Community policing goals are to improve community relations by providing the knowledge and ability to make positive community changes and to implement policies and procedures for developing and maintaining groups.  Prevention, intervention and treatment goals include the creation of a safe haven providing a variety of programs and services focusing on drug abuse, prevention, and other behavioral problems.  The program will also focus on neighborhood restoration, restoring the community by increasing homeownership and employment opportunities.  The Rome Weed and Seed site received official recognition in June 2006.  The Weed and Seed site is a box bounded by Black River Boulevard to the east, Turin Road and Jervis Avenue to the north, Gifford Road to the west, and State Highway 46 to the south.  This grant is the site’s second award.

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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