Residents and community leaders from Weed and Seed target areas in Farrell and Sharon gathered Thursday to learn what they need to do to help their community grow stronger.

Carl Anderson, director of the state-funded Weed and Seed anti-crime and neighborhood-improvement program, told about 70 residents what happens after the police saturation ends and rebuilding the community begins.

The program is "not just about locking people up," Anderson said. "Weed is not a pleasant part of the program but it's not the end of this."

The "weed" part of the program includes heavy police saturation in the target areas to reduce street crime.The next step is to get volunteers to serve on the Target Area Local Leaders team. Volunteers will receive extensive training and establish goals for the target areas.In Sharon, that area runs from Sharpsville Avenue east to Fourth Avenue and south from Meek Street to East State Street.

The other target areas are west along South Dock Street in Sharon and Broadway in Farrell, with Prindle Street in Sharon as the northern boundary, Stambaugh Avenue in Sharon and Beechwood Avenue in Farrell as the eastern boundary, and the Farrell Wheatland line as the southern boundary.The TALL team can help residents start community projects such as neighborhood beautification and vigils.

The TALL team is led by Marcia Brown who said about 17 people turned in their applications to serve on the team. Residents who have not already applied have until next week to turn in their applications, she said.

Another key component of rebuilding the area is the Assistance for Impact Delegation program which gathers key leaders in area non-profit groups, government and private businesses to create a revitalization plan to submit to the state. The group, led by Adrienne Gordon, will also help to bring services and resources to residents in the target area.

Anderson said an important part of the revitalization effort will be to create programs to fill "gaps." They could include after-school programs, employment training or community policing, he said.

Anderson also talked about social and economic "variables" such as crime, poverty or housing problems that can affect the community. "As they (the variables) go so goes the community," Anderson said, meaning the things that most affect the area such as crime, poverty or housing need to be addressed.

Residents asked what Weed and Seed can do to take care of abandoned buildings.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Kochems, Weed and Seed community prosecutor, said residents need to join a TALL team and define what they need and want.

Another resident wondered if stepped-up enforcement efforts can really reduce crime.

"Do drug crimes really go down or do they go underground," she asked.

Anderson said crime really does go down with extra police support, though some crime may go underground or move to different areas. He said extra policing will cause the average street level drug dealer to become apprehensive and will deter buyers.

"I can say with a lot of confidence that that situation of dealing will go down," Anderson said. He added that the area should see much less "in-your-face" dealing on the street level.

Both Anderson and Kochems encouraged residents to report suspicious activity in the neighborhoods. Kochems said the district attorney's office will take anonymous calls about such things as suspected drug activity. Anderson added that callers should give as much information to police and prosecutors as they can.

Ms. Brown told residents a grassroots effort by as many people as possible is key to the success of Weed and Seed.

"If you don't get involved ... what you have is a top down initiative," Ms. Brown said.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at kgarrett@sharon-herald.com