(Washington, DC) Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) announced that Louisville Metro has been awarded a grant for $192,650 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue Newburg’s ‘Weed and Seed’ program, which is a federal initiative that aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in 250 sites nationwide.

“This unique program takes an intelligent, practical approach to keeping our neighborhoods safe,” Congressman Yarmuth said.  “The empowerment of our law enforcement, coupled with the enhanced availability of social services, offers a two-pronged approach that will help stop crimes in the immediate future and confronts the roots of criminal activity, in the Newburg area.”

The weed and seed program confronts crime in two ways: “Weeding out” violent criminals and drug abusers by forging cooperation between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, and “laying the seeds” through the collaboration of public agencies and community-based private organizations to offer prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood restoration programs. A community-oriented policing component bridges the weeding and seeding elements.

“The Weed and Seed program is a proven method for reducing crime,” Mayor Jerry Abramson said. “This grant will help us increase community policing in Newburg at a time when the neighborhood is undergoing a revitalization that includes construction of a new library.”