New crime task force targets certain areas

(1/04/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- Houston's growing crime problems have prompted a new task force for the city in hopes of making it a whole lot safer.

After an increase in violent crimes, Houston's police chief announced the task force aimed at reducing criminal activity in targeted areas of the city.

Officer Sherman Chaffin has been patrolling Houston's streets for 21 years. He says when violent crimes increase, they can sense it on the streets.

"We know it. We can feel it," said Officer Chaffin. "We can sense it just if you drive around in your police car and pay attention to what's going on the radio. You can hear the calls to the different locations."

Chief Harold Hurtt announced a new initiative, the Neighborhood Enforcement Team Taskforce (NETT), to reduce crimes in specific areas of the city -- the Greenspoint area and the Southwest Freeway corridor. There is a long list of work they will focus on. They will work on identifying and registering 130 sex offenders from Louisiana to auto theft, prostitution, gangs and drugs, specifically in apartment complexes and motels where they have seen a high number of calls.

"We'll have officers working those areas by foot, on bicycle and of course, automobiles," said Chief Hurtt. "We are looking for high uniform presence not only to arrest people, but we are also interested in deterring crime and preventing it in the first place."

Chief Hurtt says officers will work overtime to focus on these areas. The extra hours are equal to about 150 officers. Officer Chaffin says the overtime he's put in has well been worth it.

"We've gotten a lot of narcotics. We've gotten an increase in guns we found," said Officer Chaffin. "We actually picked up quite of few guns in the last couple of weeks. I don't know what kind of indication that may be but we just happened to have an increase that we haven't seen in a while."

The money for the extra overtime will come from the police budget and from city council. City officials hope that FEMA will reimburse them for some of the costs.

Chief Hurtt says they were starting to see an increase in violent crime before the hurricanes and says this new initiative is about catching criminals no matter where they are from.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

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