News Article

Dayton Coalition Calls On Community to Help Tackle Drug Crime

http://cadca.org.coalitionOnline/article.asp?id=1656

Dayton, Ohio – In the Dayton Northwest area of Ohio, it wasn’t uncommon to see a drug deal occurring on a city street and residents standing by and watching it happen. Now, residents are the first to call authorities at the first sign of suspicious activity in their neighborhood. That’s thanks to the Dayton Northwest Weed and Seed Coalition, which empowered residents to become active participants in their community’s crime and drug prevention efforts.

For the past 50 years, the Northwest Dayton area has been plagued by poverty, crime, drug trafficking and unemployment, with nearly half of the residents living below poverty level, a 62 percent unemployment rate and a growing crack cocaine problem. Reverend Tommy Stewart, site coordinator for the Dayton Northwest Weed and Seed, said many local residents felt powerless and distrustful of local authorities. His coalition stepped in, helping to open the lines of communication between the community, law enforcement and government officials.

“There was so much crime going on that community members didn’t think local government and police officials cared, but at the same time authorities never heard from local residents so they didn’t always know what and where things were occurring,” Rev. Stewart explained. “So for three years, we held meetings with the community to try to change that perception, and hosted workshops for government and law enforcement officials on how to communicate with the community.”

Slowly, the group began to break down those barriers, and now members of the community play a major role in helping to stop drug-related crime. “We try to educate people in the community that when you see a situation erupting, call the police. Timely reporting has enabled the police to divert serious crimes,” Rev. Stewart noted.

The group also attacks the problem from another angle—by enriching the lives of youth in the community so that they are less likely to commit a crime or use or sell drugs. To do that, Dayton Northwest Weed and Seed tries to involve youth in extra-curricular activities, such as theater productions hosted by churches or tutoring programs offered by local businesses.

“We believe that if we can keep young people actively involved in structured organized programs, we can prevent them from getting into trouble. Too many youth end up hanging out on street corners, which can lead to youth delinquency,” the Reverend said.

The coalition tries to expose youth to the arts and cultural activities, so that they can see that life is more than just what they see at the school yard or basketball court. This, coupled with parenting courses for the families, has changed many lives in the community. “Kids have gone from having very low self esteem and low grades, to making the honor roll and moving on to college,” Rev. Stewart said.

Little by little, Rev. Stewart said the community is changing. “Not only have the crime statistics gone down, but we’ve began to see better participation in neighborhood projects and organizations and people care about what goes on in their neighborhood,” he said.

The Dayton Northwest Weed & Seed is one of hundreds of coalitions throughout the country that are funded by the Department of Justice Community Capacity Development Office’s Operation Weed & Seed. The Weed & Seed approach aims to deter crime, promote economic growth and improve the quality of life for the community, through a combination of law enforcement and community policing, substance abuse prevention and treatment, and neighborhood revitalization.

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