LAWNDALE'S 'MURDER GAME'

Almost every day, the Rev. Howard Brown takes his ministry to the
North Lawndale streets where one of his sons was murdered in a
drive-by in 1998 and another son was shot and wounded in March.

"Drugs are out there and all that," Brown says. "As long as there's
that, there will be violence and killing. It's a murder game."

Between January and June, there were 23 slayings in the Harrison
District (11th). That's more than any other police district in the
city -- and six more slayings in the district than the same period
last year.

There also were 515 aggravated batteries during the first six months
of the year -- tops citywide and nearly 100 more than during the same
period last year, police statistics show.

"Police need to step up their game and help deter crime," Brown
says.

He suggests more officers on foot patrols to keep blocks clear of
crowds that can hit 200 on troubled corners.

"In other neighborhoods, it's not like this. Police don't tolerate
it," Brown said. "And I think we tolerate it a little too much."

Ald. Sharon Dixon said communities in the district simply don't get
the resources afforded other crime-ridden neighborhoods, and, frankly,
she's envious.

"You hear about all the action in Englewood in the news. We have the
same problems in Lawndale. We're in the same boat. We should get the
same attention from the city, the Police Department and the press,"
she said. "They say they're doing the best they can with the resources
they have. Well, I say the [crime] numbers exist. It's here. It's
happening, and we need resources to deal with it."

Harrison District Cmdr. Eric Washington said the district does get
attention, and fighting "street violence" is first on his mind.

"There is no one ignoring the 11th District above Englewood," he said.
"Myself, my supervisors, my personnel are out here constantly working
[at] it. We get support from the narcotics unit, gang unit, mobile
strike force to combat, solve and squelch things that are taking place."