Operation Weed and Seed, a U.S. Department of Justice community-based initiative, is an innovative and comprehensive multi-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization. More simply, it is a strategy that "weeds out" violent crime, gang activity, drug use, and drug trafficking in targeted high-crime neighborhoods, and then "seeds" the target area by restoring these neighborhoods through social and economic revitalization.

The cornerstone of this strategy is the collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement, and criminal justice efforts with federal, state and local social services, private sector, and community efforts to maximize the impact of existing programs and resources. It is much like a potluck supper where each person brings his/her individual/business/community resources to bear on neighborhood problems and concerns.

All strategies must include four areas of concentration: law enforcement; community policing; prevention/intervention/treatment; and neighborhood restoration.

Currently, Oregon has six Weed and Seed sites officially "recognized" by the U.S. Department of Justice. Five of these sites are now receiving federal grant funding to assist in implementation of their strategies. They are:

– Albina Weed and Seed Site in N/NE Portland
– Lents/Brentwood Darlington Weed and Seed Site in SE Portland
– Bethel Neighborhood Weed and Seed Site in Eugene
– Burns Paite Tribe Weed and Seed Site in Burns
– Rockwood Neighborhood Weed and Seed Site in Gresham
– Mt. Hood Corridor Weed and Seed Site in Villages of Mt. Hood

Each site has a full-time site coordinator and a steering committee that meets regularly.

For more information on Weed and Seed, visit the U.S. Department of Justice/Community Capacity Development office website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo.

For further information on the Oregon sites, visit www.weedandseedoregon.org.