The Weed and Seed Strategy
It’s hard to believe that our Weed and Seed Program/Community Safety Initiative has already completed its fourth year of programming in the Lagrange neighborhood. But our committee’s tireless efforts in crime fighting, block clean-ups, community events and youth and family services have not gone unnoticed. The recognition that our program has received locally and nationally is more than we ever expected.
Our law enforcement collaboration includes two Weed and Seed officers, Patty Gomez and Jeff Quigley, as well as their command officers Sergeant Joe Heffernan and Lieutenant Mike Borowske. Their commitment, and that of the Toledo Police Department, has enhanced our success. The whole neighborhood, not just the target area, has seen another 5% reduction of crime this year, which means: The Weed and Seed Program is directly responsible for decreasing felony suppressible crime in our neighborhood by 38% over the past four years!
As an organization we will continue to strengthen, improve, and increase communication among residents, businesses, community organizations, the police, and social service providers. Through collaborative partnerships we are increasing community awareness and law enforcement, negotiating differences, reducing crime and drug trafficking, offering a wide array of social services, and providing opportunities for social support and mentorship. We will also soon begin offering opportunities for training and education.
Crime prevention and quality of life stretches in many directions. The most exciting news about the Weed and Seed Program can be found in our many success stories, which highlight the strength of empowered neighbors enjoying the benefits of a community that works together. For example, 21 of our neighbors on the verge of homelessness who were not eligible for Lagrange Development Corporation’s housing programs were able to find suitable housing with the assistance of our Weed & Seed outreach workers.
With the assistance of the Lagrange Development Corporation, the Weed and Seed Program has also assembled our community’s first Community Safety Task Force to deal with crime and safety issues throughout the entire Lagrange neighborhood. Made possible in part by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s (LISC) Community Safety Initiative, this task force is working hard to make the Lagrange neighborhood the safest neighborhood in Toledo. Specific strategies include:
- Identifying prime suspects in burglaries
- Assigning extra police patrols in our neighborhood
- Identifying suspects through the county prosecutor’s office so upcoming cases can be monitored
- Notifying landlords who are renting to suspects
- Meeting with municipal judges to encourage zero tolerance for crime in our neighborhood
Also new this year is a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the Adult Parole Authority to reduce crime and recidivism of our most violent offenders. Adult parole officers now see an average of 110 clients a month at their Cherry Street office, assuring that the most violent offenders get the support and supervision they need right in their own backyards.
What is next? The Lagrange community is now a “graduated” Weed and Seed site. That means our Community Safety Initiative will continue without the financial support of the U. S. Department of Justice and, more than ever, we need your support and assistance with crime prevention. If you see or hear about a problem or have an idea for a solution, let us know. The more citizens who get involved, the better and stronger we are to fight crime. And because the Lagrange Development Corporation is as committed to this effort as always, we are moving forward with a state-of-the-art Community Center that will provide social service programs as well as job and computer training for our neighborhood residents.
As a good neighbor it is important to spread the word about the Community Safety Initiative. Our goal is to invite all neighbors to take an active role in building a strong community because the Community Safety Initiative cannot be successful without community involvement. Call Jennifer Wise at 419-251-7819 for more information about how you can help this effort. Please also report any criminal concerns to the Community Safety Initiative police officers at the Cherry Area Police Station (CAPS) at 419-245-1160.
