The Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (The LECC)
Background
In the summer of 1981, the United States Attorney General's Task Force on Violent Crime recommended that each United States Attorney establish a Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC). The bi-partisan Task Force on Violent Crime closely examined federal, state and local law enforcement needs. Their recommendation to establish LECCs came as a direct result of the group's finding that federal, state and local law enforcement cooperation was crucial, but the cooperation nationwide was uneven, ranging from nonexistent to good. The Attorney General responded to the Task Force recommendations and issued an order instructing every United States Attorney to establish a Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee in his or her district.
Today each of the 94 United States Attorneys Offices has a Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, consisting of the federal, state and local agencies involved in the district's law enforcement services. The goal of the LECC is to improve cooperation and coordination among the various groups, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the criminal justice system. In some districts, the LECC has become the cornerstone of joint federal, state and local law enforcement efforts.
LECC Membership
The LECC brings together the top law enforcement officials in the District of Massachusetts. All state and local police departments within the Commonwealth are invited to participate in the LECC. In Massachusetts the membership consists of approximately 400 law enforcement officials. Federal members include the FBI, DEA, IRS, INS, ATF, Customs Service, U.S. Postal Inspectors, Marshals Service, U.S. Secret Service, National Park Service, other federal agency inspectors general, and military criminal investigators. State and local agency members include the Department of the Attorney General, Massachusetts State Police, Executive Office of Public Safety, Department of Correction, Probation Department, Parole Board, the Governor's Legal Counsel Office, the District Attorneys, the Chiefs of Police, the Sheriffs and others. In Massachusetts, the U.S. Attorney asked the State Attorney General to co-chair the LECC.
LECC Organizational Structure
The Department of Justice recognizes that the unique differences in each district dictate the type of LECC program that would be most effective. Regardless of the differences, however, all law enforcement agencies share the similar need to know each other in order to work together effectively. While the state has organizations for various law enforcement officers (such as the District Attorneys Association or Chiefs of Police Association), the LECC is unique in that it unites federal, state and local law enforcement officials under one organizational umbrella. Because the group consists of approximately 400 individuals, statewide meetings are held annually, and topic-specific meetings and training sessions are scheduled as needed.
If you are interested in obtaining more information about our office's LECC program, please contact Christina Sterling, Law Enforcement Coordinator, at (617) 748-3356 or Christina.Sterling@usdoj.gov.
Asset Forfeiture Equitable Sharing Program
Forfeiture is one of the most effective weapons in the law enforcement arsenal. Federal law enforcement agencies adopt state and local seizures for federal forfeiture whenever appropriate in order to immobilize criminal enterprises and to enhance cooperation among federal, state, and local agencies. The furtherance of law enforcement cooperation with state and local law enforcement agencies is one of the primary goals of the Department's asset forfeiture program. Equitable sharing has been a dramatic success in fostering cooperation with our state and local law enforcement colleagues. The LECC Coordinator facilitates the distribution of all judicial forfeiture checks. This includes organizing site visits for the U.S. Attorney, coordinating the presentation ceremonies, preparing the mailings for the checks, writing press releases, and responding to inquiries from recipient local police departments about equitable sharing and the status of checks. In 1999, a total of $877,402.77 in judicial equitable sharing was issued to state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. In 2000, a total of $1,949,722.22 in judicial equitable sharing was issued to state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. In 2001, a total of $840,481.70 in judicial equitable sharing was issued to state, local and federal law enforcement agencies.
Weed and Seed Program
The Weed and Seed Strategy
Operation Weed and Seed is a program that aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in targeted high-crime neighborhoods across the country.
The strategy involves a two-pronged approach. First, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in "weeding out" criminals who participate in violent crime and drug abuse, attempting to prevent their return to the targeted area as part of the program. Second, "seeding" brings a variety of human services to the area encompassing crime prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood revitalization. A community-oriented policing component bridges the weeding and seeding aspects of the program. Officers and prosecutors obtain helpful information from area residents for weeding efforts while they aid residents in obtaining information about community revitalization and seeding resources.
The Role of the United States Attorney
At each site, the United States Attorney plays a central role in organizing the Steering Committee and bringing together the communities with the other Weed and Seed participants. The United States Attorney also facilitates coordination of federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts. Through cooperation, sites can effectively use federal law in weeding strategies and mobilize resources for seeding programs from a variety of federal agencies.
Since the Weed and Seed program began in 1993, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts has helped to establish and maintain six Officially Recognized Weed and Seed sites, each with unique program elements and administrative structures. The sites are the City of Boston, the City of Brockton, the City of Chelsea, the City of Lawrence, the City of Lowell and the City of Methuen.
If you are interested in obtaining more information about our Office's Weed and Seed program, please contact Christina Sterling, Law Enforcement Coordinator, at (617) 748-3356 or Christina.Sterling@usdoj.gov.
Highlights of the District of Massachusetts' Weed and Seed Program
Boston - The Boston site is known interchangeably as the Boston Weed and Seed Project or the Grove Hall Safe Neighborhood Initiative (GHSNI). The members of the Boston Weed & Seed/GHSNI include: the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, the Boston Police Department, Roxbury District Court, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Project RIGHT, Inc., the Garrison-Trotter Neighborhood Association, the Neighborhood Development Corporation of Grove Hall and the Grove Hall Board of Trade. Examples of current Weed and Seed initiatives and programs: Zero Tolerance Initiative: Increased enforcement of traffic violations including tractor trailer parking. 10 Most Wanted Initiative: An initiative that targets and shuts down notorious drug houses within the neighborhood. Operation Crackdown: An initiative to address crimes against senior citizens as well as persistent drug problems in senior housing complexes. SEED Minigrants: Community-based prevention programs which target prostitution, domestic violence, crimes against seniors and public and underage drinking. Jobs For Youth Program: A youth employment program that provides school-year apprentice or work-study placements within the community. Drug Education For Youth: A youth outreach program to promote positive life choices, including drug resistance, aimed at 9 to 12 year olds. Community Service Project: An initiative that allows offenders who are ordered by the Court to perform community service to perform their service in the Grove Hall community. Under Age Drinking: Initiative that monitors the illegal sale of alcohol to minors. Operation Squeeze: An initiative that targets prostitution by arresting prostitutes and johns.
Brockton -The initiative is a collaborative effort led by the Plymouth County District Attorney's office with the U.S. Attorney's office, the State Attorney General's office, the City of Brockton and the Brockton Police Department. The steering committee, comprised of top representatives from the principle partners and key community organizations, function as the program's governing body and is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the weed and seed strategy and interagency collaboration, ensuring community participation in component programs, and conducting ongoing needs assessments and progress evaluations. The target area consists of approximately 15,000 residents or 15% of the city's total population. Community based resources include the Brockton Community Corporation, the Boys & Girls club of Brockton, the Brockton Neighborhood Health Clinic & Plaza Pharmacy, the South Bay Mental Health Clinic, the Old Colony YMCA, Brockton Neighbors United, Brockton interfaith Community, Woman's Place Crisis Center Jane Doe, Inc. Coalition, and the Pleasant/Prospect Initiatives Task Force 2000. Programs and initiatives currently available within the Weed and Seed area: Brockton Police Department: Community Policing Initiative, Domestic violence unit, citizens police academy, crime prevention unit, neighborhood watch/business watch, Mobile precinct unit and traffic division. Plymouth County District Attorney's Office: Community prosecution team, Juvenile Diversion Program, Domestic Awareness Program, Community-based Juvenile Justice Program, Anti-truancy Initiative, Warrant Task Force and firearm Tracking Task Force, Project Connect Truancy prevention project. State Attorney General's Office: the Safe Neighborhood Initiative, the Community Prosecution Team, the Abandoned Housing Project. Strategic Approach to Crime Initiative (Data Analysis Initiative): working with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Crime and Justice Foundation to carefully look at local data and trends with a special focus on Domestic Violence to determine the most pressing crime problems and to identify potential targets such as repeat offenders.
Chelsea - The City of Chelsea is approximately 1.8 square miles, located across the Mystic River just north of Downtown Boston. Latinos represent approximately 32% of Chelsea's total population and approximately 24% of the population live below the federal poverty level. Examples of current Weed and Seed initiatives and programs: Domestic Violence Task Force: Trains all service providers in Chelsea on how to identify and provide referral information, and utilizes the Dating Violence Intervention Project (DVIP) curriculum which defines abusive relationships and helps teen recognize danger signs and what to if they are engaged in these types of relationships. Safe Haven Program: Offers supportive services such as a comprehensive GED program for adults, an after school program, evening tutorial, ESL, academic workshops, career and vocational counseling, and cultural and recreational programs for youth.
Lowell - The Lowell Police Department is the lead agency for the Weed and Seed strategy. A Board of Directors is elected from the steering committee and meets on a monthly basis to make policy decisions and to support program staff. Sub-committees are responsible for overseeing implementation an evaluation of the various components of the strategy. The Weed and Seed Program Coordinator oversees all aspects of the strategy, acts as the primary liaison between the Board of Directors, the Steering Committee, sub-committees, the Lowell Police Department, the contracted agencies and the funding agency. The coordinator is also responsible for all required fiscal and programmatic reports. The police department opened six storefront precincts surrounding the downtown area. These neighborhood stations address some of the needs of community members and actively seek input from the organized community groups and residents about their needs and desire for implementing a department wide community policing strategy. The Lowell Police has worked in collaboration with the Crime and Justice Foundation and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government to develop its Safety First Neighborhood which brought together the Criminal Justice system, city services and residents to address crime and quality of life issues. Examples of current Weed and Seed initiatives and programs: Strategic Approach to Crime Initiative (Data Analysis Initiative): working with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Crime and Justice Foundation to carefully look at local data and trends to determine the most pressing crime problems and to identify potential targets such as repeat offenders. Kitchen Cabinet: An evaluation tool where task force facilitators and staff from the Crime and Justice Foundation meet bi-weekly to review goals and progress made toward achieving them. Safety First Domestic Violence Group: Identify and serve outstanding warrants and prosecute offenders; provide a clearinghouse for referral services, and child witness to violence program. Safety First Juvenile Initiative: a collaborative effort among the Street Worker Program, the District Court, the District Attorney's office, the Department of Social Services, the School Department, the Crime and Justice Foundation, Department of Youth Services and the Lowell Police Department to identify, prosecute and remove gang members. Strategies include non-association orders, special curfews,, day reporting, home visits and intermediate sanctions. Truancy/Out-of-School Youth Strategy: an initiative where truants and out of school youth are identified and returned back to school or to alternative education programs.
The Executive Office for Weed and Seed
The Executive Office for Weed and Seed ("EOWS") operates within the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. The Executive Director, Stephen Rickman, and his staff oversee a total of 280 Weed and Seed sites throughout the United States. EOWS can be contacted at (202) 616-1152. Its website can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows.