For months the gangs had been dealing cocaine and heroin from the weather-beaten nine-flat and the two-flat across the street, when the residents of Bucktown rebelled.
“The most important element in the fight against drugs is community involvement,” adds Ronald Garcia, commander of the 14th Police District. “Drug dealers can intimidate a handful of people. But if a whole community like this one gets involved, the dealers will move. They don’t want all of the attention.”
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“There was dealing inside and out of the buildings,” says Garcia. “The arrests we made there concerned curbside service. Dealers would come out and exchange drugs for cash. They were very open. We can only speculate about whatever transactions went on inside.”
“Their customers drove right up to the buildings,” says Howe. “A lot of them drove nice cars too. I’ll bet they came from all over the city and suburbs.”
At the meeting, police warned residents of the obstacles they faced. Police intervention has limitations. As fast as police arrest alleged drug dealers, the dealers are back on the street: there’s simply no room in the jails for them.
The drug activity did not end with that protest, so the residents, feeling emboldened, organized another march for July 21. This time they wore bright red “Drug Free Bucktown” T-shirts. The skies were clear; over 200 residents attended, including Garcia and State Senator Miguel del Valle.
The state’s attorney’s office wrote the landlord a letter, warning him that he could be held legally responsible for drug dealing on his property if he did not begin eviction proceedings against suspected dealers. A meeting was arranged between the landlord and police, who notified the landlord of the drug arrests made from his building.
