Fayetteville police have spent many years trying to rid Campbell Terrace of drugs. Time after time, officers hauled off dealers, only to see others move in. This week, the violent crimes task force launched yet another offensive: rounding up alleged members of a drug gang known for using weapons.
"It's still a money-making location here. You've got a complete horseshoedrive around here. It's just less frequently we see them around on streetcorners any more," said Sergeant Phillip Watson, Fayetteville police.
Residents still hear shooting from time to time, and admit they don't feelvery safe. But, many of them agree life in this housing complex has improved.
"It's not a good place to raise your kids, but so far, it's been kind ofquiet over here," said Timeka Rogers, a resident of Campbell Terrace. "It's not as bad as it used to be over here."
A few weeks ago, police raided an apartment and found crack cocaine. Already, the tenant's been evicted.
"I feel pretty comfortable over here now," Watson said. "There were timeswhen I didn't feel welcome or comfortable at all in this particularhousing area."
The police are not ready to promise they can stop drug dealing at CampbellTerrace, but they do promise to keep trying.
In the latest roundup, the violent crimes task force is still looking forfive of the 14 people indicted on federal charges related to the CampbellTerrace drug gang.
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
