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Gangs Battle For Control Of Chicago Drug Trade

May 28, 1985|By William Recktenwald.

``Our approach is simple,`` he said. ``The overwhelming number of calls we get are basically drug related. For the average guy on the street, it is a concern. The calls we get are not that important to law enforcement because they don`t involve big sales and pure stuff. We get calls from people in apartment houses who see their neighborhoods going down the tubes because the sale of drugs is so prevalent.

``The level of violence doesn`t surprise me,`` Healy added. ``Everybody is wheeling and dealing, and I can see when you start getting into someone else`s customers you start crossing that line. Someone is going to step on you. If you irritate those people, they have no hesitancy to just blow you away.``

According to a committee spokesman, from 1980 to 1984 emergency room treatment for cocaine-related problems in Chicago quadrupled, while similiar incidents involving heroin doubled.

While police and prosecutors work on the streets, the primary thrust of federal enforcement is to stop drugs at the border, but it`s a losing battle. ``Because of increased production, the record seizures have not had any appreciable effect in decreasing the amount of narcotics on the streets of our cities,`` said Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D., N.Y.), committee chairman.

Citing the government`s apparent reluctance to go after small-time street dealers, Healy said: ``I assume that everyone is dissatisfied with the level of participation and concern by the federal government.

``We are absolutly drowning in drugs, but if you were to walk up to a Drug Enforcement Administration agent and tell him about one of our cases, after 20 minutes of laughter he would throw you out. But to the guy in the neighborhood who sees the cars drive up and honk and someone runs up to the car and makes a delivery, well, that is pretty devastating to the quality of life in the neighborhood.``

Figures assembled by the committee support Healy. In 1984 the Chicago Police Department narcotics unit seized 204.7 pounds of cocaine, 101 pounds of heroin and 29,000 pounds of marijuana. The Chicago field office of the federal DEA seized 98.1 pounds of cocaine, 83.16 pounds of heroin and only 289.3 pounds of marijuana.

``Obviously there is a sharing of responsibility, but the cocaine in Chicago is not being produced there,`` said Rangle, the primary sponsor of a proposed law that would authorize $750 million in federal funds for each of the next five years to assist local police in drug enforcement and