CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Neighborhood watch groups on Chicago’s Southwest side said what they’re doing to prevent crime and violence seems to be working.
The progress could be seen one Friday evening during a 16-inch softball game. The game, which was being played in Rainey Park, was between between two groups who are part of the West Lawn Neighborhood Watch and the Scottsdale Neighborhood Watch. These neighborhood watch organizations are working to fight crime.
Eddie Guillen of West Lawn and Jason Huff of Scottsdale spoke to CBS 2 about their efforts.
"We come in to bridge that gap because we know there are some disparities," Guiellen said.
"Our local neighborhood gang that we deal with on a regular basis does like to hang out here," Huff said.
Guillen said it's "very encouraging the work that we are putting in in the community. It shows it speaks for itself."
The neighborhood watch groups said their presence can be enough to keep gang skirmishes at bay. They do night patrols too and work with the Chicago police. And over the course of a year, crimes like robberies, burglaries, and auto thefts, dropped 27%.
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