Oklahoma City has been a part of Operation Weed and Seed since 1993.

The City's Weed and Seed area is an area bounded by North Villa Avenue, West Main Street., North Western Avenue and Northwest 30th Street.

Operation Weed and Seed is an innovative approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization, created by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Weed and Seed strategy

Weed and Seed is a strategy to prevent, control and reduce violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity in high-crime neighborhoods.

Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in “weeding out” criminals, attempting to prevent their return. The "weeding" process has three elements:

• Increased law enforcement
• Community policing
• Targeted code enforcement

“Seeding” brings human services to the area, encompassing prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood revitalization. The three elements of "seeding" are:

• Social services for residents
• Housing rehabilitation and construction
• Physical improvements

Law enforcement's role

Community-oriented policing bridges weeding and seeding strategies. Police officers obtain helpful information from residents for weeding efforts while they aid residents in obtaining information about community revitalization and seeding resources.

The role of the United States Attorney

The United States Attorney plays a central role in organizing the Steering Committee and bringing together the communities with other Weed and Seed participants. The United States Attorney also coordinates federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts. Sites can use federal law enforcement partners in weeding strategies and mobilize resources for seeding programs from a variety of federal agencies.