DRUG PRESENCE UP IN 2ND POLICE DISTRICT

Capt. Sonia Velazquez of the 2nd Police District reports that
narcotics activity is moving up into the Northeast.

During a meeting last week of the Lawncrest Civic Association,
Velazquez noted that due to the increased presence of narcotics in
the district she pushed for and received narcotics training for her
officers. She also provided information on recent crimes and
arrests in the neighborhood.

"Narcotics are moving up into this area," she said. "Now we will
have a narcotics team. By the end of the month, we will have that
Narcotics Enforcement Team up and running."

In December, Velazquez noticed a 20 percent increase in crimes
committed at gunpoint. Citywide there was a four percent increase.
"There are more guns on the streets," she said. "But don't get stuck
on 20 percent it could be zero next month."

Eight violent crimes were committed along the 900 blocks of
Bridge and Pratt streets. Three were robberies at gun point, three
were assaults at gun point and two were forced robberies.

"There is also a lot of narcotics activity there," Velazquez said.
There is a 24-hour restaurant nearby, which has become a
gathering point. I sent a report to the Department of License and
Inspections and to the District Attorney's Nuisance Property
Division to see if they are in compliance."

There were also eight elderly robberies outside area banks.

"We zeroed in on a suspect, but once we did the robberies
stopped," she said. Police have a warrant for the person's arrest.

St. William's Catholic Church, at Rising Sun and Robbins avenues,
suffered two attempted burglaries in one week. Fingerprints were
lifted from the scene but they are still being analyzed by the crime
lab. Both happened during the midnight shift around 4:30 a.m.
During one attempt burglars broke a side window, on the other
they tried to make off with a poor box.

An arrest was made on the burglaries committed along Rising Sun
Avenue. Velazquez stated that the suspect lived near the 6300
block of Rising Sun and knew the store keepers habits, when they
left for the night and arrived in the morning. Another arrest was
made in connection with the robberies of food deliveries. The
criminal targeted Chinese food and pizza places. That suspect was
charged with 15 robberies.

Finally, the captain reported that as the temperature has decreased
so too have after school incidents.

According to Art Kramer the civic associations zoning watchdog,
the hole at 6712-14 Rising Sun Ave. may soon be filled in by a
three story office building.

"That hole started in the 70's," Kramer said. "We tried to have the
owner comply with our requests to fill it but it wasn't until we
called L&I that we got some action. If you don't follow up on these
things they just keep going on and on and on."

Plans for the construction went before the Zoning Board on Dec. 28
but the board felt they needed further planning. The next zoning
hearing is scheduled for Feb. 22.

"We are anxious to have a building there," Kramer said.