ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- Reaffirming his commitment to creating safer and more vibrant communities, Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker today launched Pennsylvania's 14th "Weed and Seed" initiative in Allentown, Lehigh County.

"Today, Allentown residents are serving notice to law-breakers that they are willing to fight for their city," Gov. Schweiker said. "We join them in that fight through a powerful Pennsylvania partnership that originates at the state level, delivers at the local level, and involves an entire community in between. This program requires no new state tax dollars -- only the sincere participation of a community and an innovative new concentration of existing resources."

Joined by law-enforcement officers, community leaders and state and local officials, Gov. Schweiker announced that Allentown is the 14th site for Pennsylvania Weed and Seed, the first state-sponsored program of its kind in the nation and a key component of his anti-crime agenda. Schweiker made the announcement on the first day of a five-day "Celebration of the New Pennsylvania" tour across the state.

Focused on community-driven prevention, Weed and Seed attacks the underlying roots that contribute to crime such as unemployment, lack of quality education, broken families and widespread poverty. The program complements legislation passed during former Gov. Tom Ridge's Special Session on Crime in . The initiative builds on the success of the federal Weed and Seed concept of intensive law enforcement followed by aggressive neighborhood revitalization. While the federal program targets only large metropolitan areas, the state model delivers Weed and Seed to smaller Pennsylvania communities, concentrating on a particular "target zone," or central portion of the community.

The program's first phase, "weed," involves a collaborative law-enforcement effort between local and state crime-fighting teams to eliminate crime in a targeted neighborhood. Weed begins with an intensive law-enforcement operation in and around the "target zone."

In Allentown, an undercover investigation by state and local officers identified 37 suspected drug dealers and other criminals. Earlier today, law enforcement officers fanned out across the area to execute dozens of arrest warrants.

The second part of "weed" involves an intensive, highly visible law- enforcement presence throughout the neighborhood. Pennsylvania State Police and local law enforcement will begin saturation patrols of the "target zone" to partner with citizens to rid the community of crime.

At the same time, the "seed" stage begins the process of rebuilding the community through citizen-driven change.

Citizens first identify the community's most pressing challenges and decide the best ways to confront them. State government channels its resources toward supporting the community in any way possible. In every state agency, members of a Rapid Response Team work to deliver programs and services to the target zone in a swift and direct manner.

"The Weed and Seed model is based on the notion that state government in Harrisburg doesn't know best," Gov. Schweiker said. "Spirited residents of the community know best. Our philosophy is this -- if you are willing to provide the time and are willing to provide your commitment and your energy to developing solutions, we in state government are willing to help you in far- reaching ways."

Successful Weed and Seed programs are already underway in 13 other communities: Aliquippa, Beaver County; Chester, Delaware County; Easton, Northampton County; Erie, Erie County; Lancaster, Lancaster County; Norristown, Montgomery County; McKeesport, Allegheny County; New Kensington and Arnold, Westmoreland County; Reading, Berks County; Coatesville, Chester County; Sharon-Farrell, Mercer County; Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County; and York, York County.

Source: PRNewswire