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Northwestside leaders seek input on fighting crime with $150,000 in federal funds
By John Tuohy
The Indianapolis Star (Indiana)
November 8, 2008
Neighborhood leaders on the Northwestside are seeking public input on how they should use the second installment of a federal crime-fighting grant.
The Eagledale/Lafayette Square Weed & Seed Steering Committee has $150,000 in U.S. Department of Justice funds to spend on neighborhood programs and police assistance.
The organization received a $1 million, five-year grant in October 2007.
Last year's allocation of $175,000 paid for two youth soccer programs, more police patrols and new equipment for Northwest District officers, said Scott Rosenberger, Weed & Seed site coordinator.
Half the money must be used for neighborhood improvement, and half must be used for police activity.
"We did some good things last year and hope we can continue that path," Rosenberger said.
The organization is somewhat handcuffed when selecting social programs because it doesn't have a community center to host them. Instead, it partners with existing programs, which can take longer to arrange.
Rosenberger said the steering committee still was developing programs for this year.
The targeted area has a population of 32,000 and is bounded by 46th Street and I-65 on the north, 30th and 25th streets on the south, I-65 and Guion Road on the east, and I-465 on the west.
The first grant paid for police overtime on burglary and community policing details, said Northwest District Maj. Paul Ciesielski. It also bought tape recorders, bulletproof vests and cell phones. "We're still spending some of it," Ciesielski said.
He would like some of this year's allocation to buy audio and video equipment, so interviews with crime suspects can be recorded.
Police and neighborhood officials said a big part of the program is to find innovative ways to prevent crime. One example of that was warning tickets issued by police to motorists who leave valuables inside their vehicles.
"From experience we know that 85 percent of car break-ins are because someone left something valuable in plain sight, like a GPS or a computer," Ciesielski said. "So we put warning tickets on windshields where our officers noticed that was the case. It's not a fine. The ticket has a Weed & Seed logo and some advice."
Rosenberger said an indoor soccer program at two Indianapolis Public Schools buildings has been very successful and will continue this year.
The program requires grade-school students to do their homework with tutors before they can play. The students play twice a week at Schools 70 and 79.
"We divide them into two groups," said Colleen Kliewer, a bilingual social worker at Nicholson, who used a Weed & Seed grant to hire coaches for the program. "While one group plays, the other studies. They like playing so much it really motivates them to study."
Additional Facts
WHAT'S NEXT?
Weed & Seed is a two-pronged strategy designed to "weed out" criminals and to "seed in" services to improve the quality of life for residents and other community stakeholders.
The Weed & Seed committee meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Covenant Baptist Church, 4201 W. 30th St., Indianapolis. Call Scott Rosenberger at (317) 979-3053 for more information.
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