Congratulations to the Northwest Park Oakview Weed and Seed Program

I want to extend my sincere congratulations to the Northwest Park Oakview Weed and Seed Program which was recently honored as a 2010 Achievement Award Winner by the National Association of Counties.

In a recent letter to the Office of the Montgomery County Executive, Larry Naake, Executive Director of the national Association of Counties, said that “NACo is proud to confer this award and recognize your county’s hard work to promote quality, efficient, and responsive management and administration.”

Weed and Seed, a community-based strategy sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is an innovative, comprehensive multiagency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization. CCDO oversees the Weed and Seed initiative. Weed and Seed is foremost a strategy—rather than a grant program—that aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in designated high-crime neighborhoods across the country. The more than 250 Weed and Seed sites range in size from several neighborhood blocks to several square miles, with populations ranging from 3,000 to 50,000.

The strategy involves a two-pronged approach: law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in "weeding out" violent criminals and drug abusers and public agencies and community-based private organizations collaborate to "seed" much-needed human services, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood restoration programs. A community-oriented policing component bridges the weeding and seeding elements. At each site, the relevant U.S. Attorney's Office plays a leadership role in organizing local officials, community representatives, and other key stakeholders to form a steering committee. The U.S. Attorney's Office also facilitates coordination of federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts so that sites effectively use federal law enforcement partners in weeding strategies. In some instances, the U.S. Attorney's Office helps sites mobilize resources from a variety of federal agencies for seeding programs.

The Weed and Seed strategy is a multilevel strategic plan that includes four basic components: law enforcement; community policing; prevention, intervention, and treatment; and neighborhood restoration. Four fundamental principles underlie the Weed and Seed strategy: collaboration, coordination, community participation, and leveraging of resources.

Congratulations to the Weed and Seed program staff and all of the community stakeholders who have made the Montgomery County’s Weed and Seed Program a national model.

To learn more about the National Association of Counties, visit their website at http://www.naco.org/