I was out of the neighborhood last night but arrived home late to find my neighbors sitting in my kitchen with their 3 kids. There was a raid on the "tenants from hell" in the corner house last night. My neighbors live in the unit behind the one that was raided. They were visibly traumatized because they had never seen a raid before. They were more upset because after the raid was over one who was not arrested accused my neighbors of being the "snitches" to the police and threatened to shoot them. He also threatened to "stick" their 14 year old son because they think he walks funny. Needless to say this family was struggling to find a way to return to any sense of normal last night. They asked if I would keep their children over night because they weren't sure what would happen during the night and didn't want their kids to experience whatever it would be. I remember when I saw my first "raid". It was 13 year ago now. I can still recall the details vividly and the emotions that occur when you see SWAT clothed officers running through your yard with the battering ram and guns drawn. The sound of the battering ram used to enter the house and the yelling that follows the loud blast. It's not an experience that most people can pull from their data banks. It certainly isn't something to aspire to. Seeing the fear and post traumatic stress this family was feeling made my husband and I realize that we had somehow become conditioned to all of this. We have seen it so many times that it doesn't phase us anymore. I was thrilled to hear the police were able to gather their "intelligence" quickly and bust these people so we aren't stuck with these people all summer. I am really happy they got the guns out of there. The 5th precinct is on the ball and I appreciate how quickly they responded to our calls for help. Leadership starts at the top and we are lucky to have a fabulous cop (Capt. Kristine Arneson) as the commander over here. I am not sure about all the details as I missed the raid but my neighbors seem to think the police got both guns and drugs. Now, if the landlord acts we should see the "tenants from hell" gone by the end of July. One of the main thugs they arrested was released yet last night. I hope they just leave quietly and let us return to some sense of peace here. Sometimes they ramp up and their behavior gets completely out of control when they know they are being evicted and have nothing to lose. I hope that what the police got in the bust hurt them bad enough that they will be out of business until they find a new "store" on some one else's block. I am pessimistically convinced that none of them will spend anytime in jail over this. It just never happens. Maybe this time the courts will surprise me. I am not holding my breath. Barb Lickness Whittier
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