Shreveport�s Highland-StonerHill Weed and Seed

| *Red Hot and Sizzlin was a hit at the EOWS Law EnforcementConference in New Orleans (June 2000).*Having been one of the 36 original sites, the residents ofShreveport�s Highland-Stoner Hill Weed and Seed target area has experienceda lot. Crime statistics had continually shown a decrease in our targetarea. There was interest and enthusiasm in the community, but mostly fromthe same, small group of individuals. Our residents had basically becomeused to having extra police in their neighborhoods. They were used to havingsomeone to call about what is commonly referred to as nuisance complaints.Spoiled! That�s the word I am looking for. They were spoiled!
Since Weed and Seed was no longer new to them our siteand staff were taken for granted. Aside from our small and faithful groupof supporters our popularity, if you will, had faded away into the shadowsof new programs and direction. We were facing a new administration, newMayor, new Police and Fire Chiefs and another new Weed and Seed site inShreveport�s Queensborough and Ingleside neighborhoods. The reality wasthat at the end of 1999 our Highland-Stoner Hill site would be history. 
With the clock ticking on the life of Shreveport�s maidenWeed and Seed site, the staff decided to roll up their sleeves and fight.The basis for the fight was to stay alive by becoming a household name.To do that, an aggressive marketing strategy had to be used. Thinking ofthe resources available in our target area, we contacted Music MountainWater Company, a  bottling and distribution center just blocks fromour office.  Together, we decided to launch the �Shreveport�s RedHot and Sizzlin� campaign.  First, a local advertising company anda professional photographer helped create a 10 foot by 8 foot vinyl likenessof our staff.  Both resources conveniently enough were headquarteredin, you guessed it, our target area. Other items needed for our campaignexhibit were some signs, a wooden boat, some carpet, and  flashingblue strobe lights fueled by a marine battery. The Rutherford House, avocational center located across the street from our office donated thematerials. Shreveport city workers donated labor and necessary tools. Vinyllabels depicting our site�s telephone numbers and Weed and Seed logo wereordered. A media blitz was begun touting accomplishments within our targetarea.  An all out awareness campaign was underway!**
Our rolling bottled water and hot candy show hit the road.Our display was debuted in Houston at the Weed and Seed National Conferencein August 1999 . It was a hit with temperatures outside reaching over onehundred degrees. Over 3,000 bottles of water were distributed, all bearingthe Weed and Seed name. All of them were ice cold. Oh yeah, all were free!Music Mountain donated the water to our site.  The Shreveport exhibitwas a hit in the exhibit hall and attendees praised the efforts of thestaff as they manned the exhibit. Our staff left Houston tired from hardwork, but very satisfied that everyone at the conference knew about Shreveport,or at least, had heard of us. 
In the coming weeks many positive calls and letters werereceived by our city, our office and our police department changed theirminds about not applying for Official Recognition for Highland-Stoner Hill. We were given the go-ahead to apply for Official Recognition. Our �Shreveport�sRed Hot and Sizzlin� campaign has become so popular that it traveled toNew Orleans for the Law Enforcement conference in May 2000 and was onceagain huge hit.
Recently, Shreveport suffered two heat-related deathsof elderly persons in the same mission in the same weekend. With our policedepartment receiving a lot of media attention about these deaths, our Weedand Seed officers decided to ice down some of our bottled water and takeit to the mission for door to door distribution. This was done, but notbefore all of the local media were called to meet us there. The remainderof the bottled water taken to the mission was distributed from police carsto hot and thirsty citizens on the street. The local media attention givento this outing was enormous. The following day, CNN from Atlanta contactedour office for interviews and information.
The water and candy campaign has been just one of manycampaigns initiated by the staff at the Highland-Stoner Hill Weed and Seedoffice. Other successes include fan drives, children�s safety clinics wherefingerprinting and restraint seats are inspected for proper installation,school supply drives and special police operations. Our truancy program,made possible through a special emphasis grant, was so successful thatthe Louisiana State Senate passed a special bill that now provides fundingto operate 4 truancy centers in Shreveport. 
As with our site, many sites have a dedicated staff ofcivilians and police officers. While the right people are a necessity,this is not enough. You must keep your citizens informed and involved.Fresh, new ideas must be born. An identity of caring and doing positivethings must be developed in order to gain the trust and support of thepublic and this can all happen when you utilize the resources availablein your respective areas. Decide what works and then make it happen. Youmay be surprised at how many people want to be on a winning team, all theyare waiting on is for the quarterback to step on the field and call theplay! 
*Self-promotion is a piece of the foundation that makesboth Shreveport Weed and Seed sites so successful. These guys are seriousabout getting their name out there - they drove their mobile command unitall the way from Shreveport, LA, to New Orleans for the EOWS Law EnforcementConference to show off their commitment to community policing.  *  This document was last update on November 15, 2000                         |
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