Asking them to relay their experiences as south side residents, a different picture emerges. One woman says she witnesses drug deals on her block almost every hour. Another described walking down a street near her home when she saw a man being brutally beaten. Both were too afraid to give their names, worried that if police knew who was complaining, they would be ignored when they needed help. David Sahar edits his earlier conclusion.
Vandalism is way down.
Things of that nature, I feel the effect of. It's got to get right into the backyards of people's homes. Police leaders say they have made inroads since launching the Mitchell St. patrol last winter. Robbery, burglary and aggravated battery are way down compared with last year, police District 2 Capt. Joseph Whiten said in May at a weekly crime analysis meeting at police headquarters downtown.