CPD Conducts Series Of Pre-Fourth Of July Raids, Arrest 58
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Police are hoping a series of raids will help keep the city safe this holiday.
The CPD announced the arrests of 58 people for drug and weapons-related charges Tuesday. Still, as CBS 2's Mai Martinez reports, some living in Chicago's dangerous neighborhoods question how much the raids will help.
Julia Alexander, for example, says life in Englewood these days is "real scary."
But she and others agree that it hasn't always been that way.
"It used to be a great area to grow up -- raised well, family oriented, God-fearing. A whole lot of things just changed, you know, with the times," said Tim Watson, an Englewood resident.
Hoping to quell some of the violence plaguing Englewood and other similar neighborhoods, Chicago Police launched a series of raids Monday. One of the areas hit was 67th and Halsted.
"That's excellent, I love it," Alexander said of the effort. "That way, the kids can be able to come outside and play right."
According to CPD, they are targeting 130 people linked to drug trafficking. So far, 58 are under arrest -- 38 of which are convicted felons and 10 have previous gun charges.
"It takes those individuals that we know drive some of the violence, it takes them out of play for a period of time," said Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson.
Still, some say it's going to take a lot more than that to solve the problem. Some said they feel many young men turn to gangs and dealing drugs because of broken homes and a lack of opportunities.
"There's nothing else going on out here; there's nothing here, it's poverty," Watson said. "A raid is a raid. They'll be right back home within whatever days."
The raids were conducted in 22 of the 23 police districts in Chicago. CPD said they will continue on Tuesday's Fourth of July holiday.
Of the 58 arrested, 55 face felony charges.