| "Top Cop" Sheriff Lauds Weed and Seed
David Shoar praises Weed and Seed and community policing.
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When there's a new sheriff in town, you expect things to change. In St. Johns County, FL, one of the top priorities for Sheriff David B. Shoar was to get more funding and personnel dedicated to Weed and Seed.
A former chief of police in St. Augustine, FL, Shoar became sheriff of St. Johns County last year and immediately supported the Weed and Seed mission. Just as the West Augustine Weed and Seed site started up, he secured funding for a new full-time deputy and agreed to serve on the site's Steering Committee. He has encouraged his community policing unit to spend time with residents to earn their trust. "Before you go in and start weeding, you need to start seeding trust," Shoar explained.
The response from the community has been positive, according to Patti Greenough, Site Coordinator for the West Augustine Weed and Seed and Executive Director of EPIC Community Services, Inc., and there has been a "huge" increase in police presence. Efforts are underway to help residents be more engaged with the community and feel more comfortable contacting the police. Greenough praised Shoar for his accessibility, success in raising the Weed and Seed profile, close relationship with Weed and Seed, and for helping the site accomplish more. "We couldn't do half of what we do without the Sheriff's Office," she said.
All this work may make Shoar a hero in some people's minds, and some have already recognized him for his achievements. Shoar became something of a national hero as he garnered the most votes in a "Top Cop" online contest of America's Most Wanted, the television show that helps find criminals. He won the $10,000 prize and promptly handed it over to Steve Bailey, a former deputy who suffered a debilitating stroke and is now in a wheelchair. Shoar's gesture inspired other community members to give money to Bailey and at last count $40,000 has been donated.
Drug trafficking is the area's biggest problem, and Shoar is targeting career criminals with a dedicated unit and hoping to get those perpetrators who commit the most crimes sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Shoar admits more needs to be done with the prison population regarding reentry into the community and drug treatment. Last year, an in-jail drug treatment program was started, and Shoar said there are plans to build a prison farm with a detox unit and transition center.
Shoar made it clear that "law enforcement is not the answer," though people want it to be; parents have to become more involved with their children and the private sector needs to partner more with the community, he said. The holistic approach and emphasis on sustainability are cornerstones of the Weed and Seed philosophy. "Weed and Seed has worked in other places," Shoar said. "I hope and pray that the community embraces it."
For more information, contact:
Patti Greenough
Executive Director, EPIC Community Services, Inc.
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