POLICE, VOLUNTEERS FIX RAVAGED DRUG HOUSE

Dealers And Prostitutes Took It Over, But Officers, Businesses,
Others Took It Back

Lillian McManus had her house fixed up by volunteers and police
officers, including Sgt. David Morris and Sgt. R. McNorton. The
house, in the 900 block of Oak Park Avenue, had been deemed
uninhabitable after being taken over by drug dealers and prostitutes
while McManus was hospitalized.

More than 50 businesses contributed.

Lillian McManus said her heart doesn't work so well since she
underwent surgery a year ago.

But on Monday, police officers, volunteers and businesses were able
to give McManus a piece of theirs by giving her back her home.

When McManus was hospitalized for an extended stay in November 1999,
drug dealers, drug users and prostitutes took over her vacant home in
the 900 block of Oak Park Avenue, police said. The home was
ransacked, furniture destroyed and garbage strewn everywhere.

Six months ago, officers in the Directed Patrol Program, funded by
the Crime Control and Prevention District, decided to save the home.
Police helped McManus evict her grandson, who police said invited
many of the people into the home. Then they organized volunteers to
clean and repair the house, which had been deemed uninhabitable.

Police serve food to neighbors, helpers and donors who refurbished
Lillian McManusí home. People stood in line to offer help with the
project, said Corpus Christi Police Sgt. David Morris.

On Monday, McManus began moving back into the refurbished home.

"I cannot believe all the volunteers that helped with this," said
McManus. "Bless them all. They are all in my prayers."

The Directed Patrol Program is made up of eight police officers who
target trouble areas where traditional policing has failed. The goal
of the unit is to work with citizens in the community to identify and
fix the community's problems.

"Through community policing we can approach problems in a proactive
manor," said Corpus Christi Police Chief Pete Alvarez. "We can really
get to the root of the problem."

McManus' home was a first for the unit, getting the program off to a
good start, police said.

"We got a really good response from the community," said Cmdr. Bryan
Smith of the Corpus Christi Police Department. Smith oversees the
crime control district. He said at least 50 businesses donated labor
or materials to get the home repaired.

Patsy Benchoff of Valero Refining said she had to bring workers air
masks because the condition of the house was unbearable.

"There was trash everywhere," Benchoff said. "The guys had to come
outside every 15 minutes just to breathe."

Neighbors said they remember seeing crews haul out dumpster-loads of
debris. The neighbors were happy to see the trash go. Others recall
prostitutes and drug dealers wandering the streets at night. Roland
Galvan, a parent and coach who lives in the area, said he is happy
for the improvements to the home and the neighborhood.

"I feel a lot better now that they are gone," Galvan said. "It was
hard to try and explain to my daughter what (the prostitutes and
dealers) were doing out there."

Martha Ramirez said her father, who has lived in the area for 50
years, came close to moving away before police started repairing the
home.

"This is a nice neighborhood," Ramirez said. "I am glad to see it is
going to stay nice."

Sgt. David Morris, who coordinated the effort, said the project gave
him a new perspective on the community.

"This job can make you lose faith in people but there were so many
that stood in line to ask me what I needed," Morris said. "It really
changed my whole outlook on the community."

McManus said Sgt. Morris and his fellow officers really changed her
outlook on the police department.

"(Morris) was really a friend through all of this," she said. "When I
came in here the first time I almost fainted. I almost did not want
to come back. But (police) really took an interest."

Staff writer Venessa Santos-Garza can be reached at 886-3752 or by
e-mail at santosv@caller.com