[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 111 (Monday, August 2, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H6762-H6763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  OCALA, FLORIDA POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME PREVENTION: ``WEED AND SEED''

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Mica). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 19, 1999, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues a report that was issued this spring of this year from 
the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs called ``Weed and 
Seed Best Practices.'' I thought this was a very interesting report and 
in this report is featured an officer from my hometown of Ocala, 
Florida.
  For many of my colleagues, the ``Weed and Seed'' program, as they 
know, is a community-based crime prevention program. Federal, State, 
and local law enforcement agencies, community support services, local 
businesses, and ordinary citizens get together to weed out violent 
crime and drug use and plant the seeds to foster new community growth 
and, of course, stability in that community.
  The ``Weed and Seed'' program began with three pilot sites in 1991. 
As of today, there are over 200 pilot sites and one of those, of 
course, Mr. Speaker, is in my hometown of Ocala, Florida, which is in 
my congressional district. The article, as I mentioned earlier, is 
written by Ken DeVilling, a lieutenant with the Ocala Police 
Department, the Crime Prevention section. I would like to share what 
Lieutenant DeVilling's observations were and actually the eminent 
success of the Ocala Police Department and the surrounding community in 
their fight against crime.
  As Lieutenant DeVilling mentioned in his article, the City of Ocala 
was, of course, not immune to the effects of crack cocaine and the 
subsequent surge of crime. Additional resources were needed and the 
Ocala Police Department had the foresight to recognize the newly 
developed ``Weed and Seed'' program as a viable solution to rising 
crime in my hometown. So myself, and with the help of my other 
colleagues in Florida and the Florida delegation, they assisted me in 
getting Ocala as a site designated as a ``Weed and Seed'' program.
  A number of initiatives were created by the Ocala Police Department 
using the funds that were provided by this ``Weed and Seed'' program. 
One initiative was the creation of a community organization called the 
Community Council Against Substance Abuse which was comprised of 
members of the local Community Commission, the city council, school 
board, State attorney's office and of course other community 
organizations.
  As a result of these organizations getting together, Ocala recorded 
its lowest crime rate in 1998. Furthermore, in 1997, the city's 
homicide rate was only one, and in the previous decades it went as high 
as 20 per year.
  Another program that is cited in this article is called ``Problem-
Oriented Policing.'' Under this program, officers identify possible 
areas which, quote, detract from good living conditions in the 
neighborhoods they patrol, end quote. These areas may be abandoned lots 
or houses that are abandoned or they might be areas that provide haven 
for drug trafficking and criminal activities.
  Once they identify these areas, a form is completed by the officer 
and is sent through the chain of command. The identified site is then 
referred to the city department best able to handle the situation. Let 
me quote from Lieutenant DeVilling in the article when he says, ``It is 
not uncommon for a police officer to identify a dilapidated building 
which is used as a crack House. Within a short time, the building is 
burned to the ground by firemen to practice and improve their skills. 
The property is then cleared and recycled. These recycled properties 
are frequently used for purposes such as building a brand-new home by 
Habitat for Humanity.''
  Other programs operated by the Ocala Police Department include drug 
education for young people, drug abuse resistance education, and of 
course dealing with the gangs through education and training.
  Mr. Speaker, this morning I am pleased to be here. I commend the 
Ocala Police Department, the local and State officials, and all the 
organizations involved in this dramatic, dramatic success achieved in 
crime prevention. As we here in Congress attempt to find solutions to 
the violence that is sweeping this country and this Nation, it is 
comforting to know that our local law enforcement and community 
organizations working hard to combat this problem at its source and it 
is happening in my hometown of Ocala. They are succeeding.
  Mr. Speaker, I will submit to enter into the Record Lieutenant 
DeVilling's article as it appears in the Department of Justice's spring 
1990 report, ``Weed and Seed and Best Practices Report.'' For brevity, 
Mr. Speaker, I will submit only that section dealing with ``Taking it 
to the Streets,'' which is a small part of this article explaining how 
the Ocala Police Department actually reduced crime in my hometown using 
the ``Weed and Seed'' program.
  My efforts this morning are also to recognize the fine things being 
done by the Ocala Police Department to reduce and eliminate crime in my 
hometown of Ocala, Florida.

                        Taking It to the Streets

       The programs and projects conducted by the Ocala Police 
     Department, Crime Prevention Section include:
       Drug Education For Youth (DEFY): This program was developed 
     by the U.S. Navy and offered through the Department of 
     Justice to local law enforcement organizations. The program 
     at our level reaches out to under-privileged children and 
     offers one-on-one mentoring for a full year. Most of the 
     mentors are police personnel. We conduct a summer day camp 
     and the local Army Reserve personnel attend and provide 
     various instructional topics for the kids. We take the 
     children on field trips to places offering educational and 
     inspirational experiences. We also arrange for them to 
     conduct their own community programs such as delivering fruit 
     baskets to the elderly.
       DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education): DARE is a well-
     known elementary school program which we have implemented in 
     all of the primary schools in Ocalo with the assistance of 
     the Marion County School Board. Our program reaches over 1000 
     school-children each year.
       GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training): the GREAT 
     program is similar in concept to DARE, but it is directed 
     toward an older group of students and offers a different 
     message. Street gangs are becoming a serious problem in the 
     United States. Some cities are already overburdened with 
     ``after the fact'' abatement programs and additional police 
     efforts to cope with the violence, destruction, and crime 
     created by these groups. The Ocala Police Department and the 
     Marion County School Board, with the help of CCASA have 
     implemented the GREAT program in all seventh grade classes in 
     the city schools. The classes teach anti-violence, drug 
     resistance, gang resistance, self-esteem, conflict 
     resolution, and other important topics. This program will 
     soon reach 1000 students each school year.

[[Page H6763]]

       Other ongoing programs implemented through the Ocala Police 
     Department are designed to address specific challenges in 
     issue areas at various times. These projects may be operated 
     for only a short time (one to two days) or for extended 
     periods (a full year). We employ a concept of dynamic 
     approach and response to community needs in order to provide 
     our services in a timely manner. Programs can be implemented 
     and discontinued as community needs indicate.
       The following activities and events are only part of those 
     conducted by Crime Prevention Section and the Ocala Police 
     Department family as part of their regular duties:
       Business Police Academy.
       Citizens Police Academy.
       Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association.
       Bicycle Safety Rodeos.
       ``Cops'' Kids & Firemen Day.
       Crime Prevention Week.
       Neighborhood Watch.
       Business Watch.
       Safe Halloween.
       Community Clean-up Days.
       Special Olympics Picnic.
       DARE and GREAT Skate Nights.
       ``AMI'' (Aid to the Mentally Impaired).
       Police Explorers Post.
       Neighborhood Cookouts.
       ``SAFE HOME'' Program.
       Police Recruit Academy.
       Scholarships.
       Community Resource Center.
       Crime Prevention Programs.
       Security Surveys.
       McGruff Program Activity.
       ``Crash Dummies'' Program.
       ``Casey'' the talking car.
       Operation ``Kid ID''
       Project Graduation.
       Host Statewide DARE Day.
       HUD Summer Programs.
       Red Ribbon Campaign.
       Vacation Bible School.
       Health Fairs.
       The future of law enforcement is already here. Crime 
     prevention has proven to be successful and will continue to 
     be the foundation of progressive law enforcement as we move 
     into the 21st century.
       For more information contact: Lt. Ken DeVilling, Phone 
     (352) 629-8290, Fax (352) 629-8391.

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