08:00 PM CST on Wednesday, January 4, 2006

By Wendell Edwards / 11 News

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The Houston Police Department launched a program Wednesday to attack the crime problem at some area apartment complexes.

More officers will now patrol the trouble spots.

"We're targeting criminals. Whether you are from Houston, Louisiana, anywhere in America or anywhere in the country, if you are committing crimes in the city of Houston, we are going to give you the appropiate attention," said Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt.

KHOU-TV

HPD Chief Harold Hurtt

The chief institituted the Nett -- or Neighborhood Enforcement Team Task force -- program to beef up police presence in places where crime is out of control.

"We"re looking for high uniform presence from not only to arrest people, but also interested in deterring crime and preventing it in the first place," said the chief.

The program includes a robbery task force which is staking out four areas of the city that Hurtt says account for 36 percent of all robberies.

That includes southwest Houston where Marc Tingle lives with his wife and baby boy.

Tingle says he's heard the rhetoric before about more police presence. " The cops don't do nothing. Protect and serve -- there's a lot of people over here waiting for that."

The chief says he wants to put a stop to everything from burglaries and prostitution to gang activity and violence offenses.

Community activist Elaine Gaskamp says it's about time. "It takes manpower, that's the bottom line. We need more police."

A need that HPD's chief says he plans to fullfill by putting 150 more officers on the street through the NETT program.

Hurtt says the cost of fighting crime won't come cheap. The NETT program carries a $6 million price tag. He and Mayor Bill White hope to pay for some of it through reimbursements from FEMA.