CITY'S CONCERN GROWS WITH HOMICIDE RATE

Police Say Most Are Drug-Related

Homicides in Richmond have risen by more than half this year compared with
the same time a year ago.

The city has reported 24 homicides in 2003. Last year at this time, there
were 15.

In February alone, the slayings tripled, from two in 2002 to six in 2003.
Violent crime is also on the rise, according to Richmond Police Department
incident reports.

"It's a major concern," said City Councilman G. Manoli Loupassi, who heads
Richmond's Public Safety Committee.

Most of this year's slayings have been drug-related, Capt. Margaret Horn said.

"That's the only thing a lot of them have in common," she said.

Of this year's victims, all but two were shot to death. One was stabbed,
the other died of blunt-force trauma. The homicides have been spread out
across the city.

Police Chief Andre Parker has lobbied City Council for funds to hire more
officers to fill more than 50 vacancies. But Loupassi said rounding out the
department is not necessarily the solution.

"There's no one answer," he said.

"The whole crime problem is multifaceted. I think all these different
groups have got to work with one eye on the prize, and that's to
dramatically reduce our homicide rate."

In nine of the 24 slayings, Richmond police have made an arrest or have a
warrant on file for someone's arrest, Horn said. Also this year, the
department has cleared nine old homicides - six from 2002, two from 2001
and one from 1994.

Police detectives struggle to explain the rise in homicides this year. But
the trend is nationwide, Lt. Dave Martin said.

One Richmond resident who deals with homicide every week is Alicia Rasin, a
community activist who helps families of homicide victims.

"I personally go to the homes and talk to the families before something
happens, and recently I've been going out and talking to guys on the
corner," she said. "I've had families call me and say 'Miss Rasin, I don't
think my child is going in the right direction.' I'll go and talk with them
and let them know they have choices."

Some listen. Some don't.

While most Richmonders will welcome spring and summer after a snowy winter,
Rasin dreads the warm months. That's when more people are outside, and the
homicide rate usually increases.

"If you're going to go out there and be with the wrong people and carry a
gun and sell drugs, there are only two places you'll go - the penitentiary
or the grave," she said. "It's senseless."