Ive been saying this for the last 1.5 years here on PB...but no one believed me. Seems like we have some proof now. I bet its going to get even worse in the next 2 years or so.

Hopefully the cameras help!

Why would it get worse?

Wait till MLK is filled with residents. More thugs are moving in to compete for the drug biz. (quite lucrative a few 'steps' from CC)

Once SWCC is fully gentrified, Hawthorne will be 1 of 2 areas in CC proper that will service the CC druggies. You cant gentrify/clean up these new projects for at least 20 years...

Just like Lat, not sure I follow. And just assuming that you're correct, what is a valid way to inhibit, stop this potential problem?

Cheers,
If I could make it winter year round I would, but with Spring, Summer, Fall around the corner, yes, I do expect it to be worst than when the weather is cold out...

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Your favorite silly game is "I love pretzle." right?

There were projects, and it was a bad area. The projects were torn down and the area started gentrifying. Now the projects are rebuilt and people are moving back in.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that. -George Carlin

What will help: People like you keep moving into the middle class section of MLK and people like Lat and others keep buynig $500k+ Rufo homes. Cameras may really help too.

Given the proximity to CC and the 'project' nature of MLK you will be dealing with trouble indefinitely IMO. That will never leave. Just work it make it better than the old MLK.

I do NOT own a Rufo home. My house is 150 years old and I didn't pay 500k for it.

I'm not saying the drug problems aren't there - but I thought I was noticing a very increased reduction of activity. I haven't personally seen any dealing in that area for over year, but then again, we live on the 1100 block of Christian St so I only see what's happening on 13th and 12th once a day when I drive by. Our block doesn't have any issues with drugs whatsoever and I hope it stays that way. All of our neighbors are pretty vigilant in keeping an eye out.

I think the cameras are a great idea, but what's really going to work is more patrolling, random questioning of people "hanging out" on corners and those cars that are stopped as if "waiting" for someone as well as the PHA kicking it up about 500 notches and kicking out dealers, users and better screening. Also - those of us in the neighborhood calling the police any time you see something suspicious. I don't care if I sound stupid and feel like I'm crying wolf. A father is dead this week because of this trash and I don't care if I have to call 911 ten times a day because I don't like the looks of someone, I will do it.
If you look like a suspicious criminal, I'm going to assume you are one. I really don't care what your story is. Normal people don't "slither" around in hoodies, long white T shirts and giant pants, covering up their faces and constantly looking over their shoulders, nor do they sit all sloped down in their seats in giant, banged up older model American cars; parked at intersections. Am I stereotyping? I really don't care. The man that died on Monday night could have been any one of us on this street or in this area and we all need to step up and report what we see.

Altho I don't live in Hawthorne, the same thing happened in my area. Last year drug activity on my block and the surrounding blocks suddenly picked up, and the local residents did exactly as you said. They call police, city council, anyone and everyone. They write down descriptions, license plate numbers, times and locations of deals and shady people hanging around. The cops started coming by a lot more often and the dealing has since left the area.

I guess the big difference though is that in my area, once you go 3 or 4 blocks north or east, you hit areas where people just don't care enough to bother reporting. I'm not quite as gentrified, or gentrifying, as these areas you are talking about. But results definitely came, and quickly.

I've never understood why some civil groups have problems with cameras, and how their utilization supposedly violates our rights. Its a public road, and if something out in the open what's the difference if a person or a camera sees it?

Of course, the camera is only as good as the operator. I saw a news report the other day that had a city council candidate insisting that the cameras work perfectly. When they went to the facility to verify the operation of the cameras, they found that all of signals were down.

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olympics rule

Ditto. I think cameras are great. If implemented correctly, they always add value.