COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS CAMPING OUT AGAINST CRIME

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Community activists are taking aim at crime in
Hartford and have already started setting up the front lines of what they
call a civil war.

The activists announced Friday they will begin camping out indefinitely in
notorious drug neighborhoods in hopes of chasing away the dealers. There
have been seven homicides in the city since January.

The activists were joined by members of the Hartford branch of the NAACP,
politicians and church leaders at a City Hall rally to kick off the
anti-crime campaign. Mayor Eddie Perez said the city would provide whatever
help it could.

City police applauded the plans, which officials say foster effective
cooperation between residents and police.

"They're not breaking any laws by doing it," said Hartford Police spokesman
Lt. Neil Dryfe. "We certainly are supportive of any action that the
community takes. It's very refreshing. It makes it a lot easier to come
here and go to work every day."

The Rev. Cornell Lewis is among those planning to camp out. He and others
have already helped rid a neighborhood of drug dealers with nine straight
weeks of vigils, demonstrations and videotaping of drug suspects. He
stressed the camp-out will be a nonviolent initiative, but noted
participants are prepared for trouble.

"Anytime you go up against the oppressor, there's always a possibility of
violence," Lewis said. "And we're prepared for that."