The Glen Park neighborhood surrounding IU Northwest has been designated as a Weed and Seed site by the U.S. Department of Justice, which makes the area eligible to apply for targeted community development and crime prevention grants that could, over the next several years, equal more than $1 million.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Van Bokkelen formally presented the certificate of recognition to IU Northwest Chancellor Bruce Bergland during a press conference June 28 at the IU Northwest Library Conference Center.

The Weed and Seed steering committee has created a comprehensive multi-agency strategy that will "weed out" violent crime and drug activity and "seed" the area through social and economic revitalization, including an emphasis on community oriented policing. The Weed and Seed program recognizes the importance of linking and integrating existing federal, state and local law enforcement and criminal justice efforts with federal, state and local social services, the private sector and community efforts to maximize the impact of restoration.

The designated Weed and Seed area is bounded by Grant Street on the west, Mississippi on the east, I-80/94 on the north and 47th Avenue on the south. The southern border is 45th Avenue east of Broadway.

Find more information about the federal Weed and Seed program at:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo/