Man hires security firm to counter neighborhood crime

CHICAGO, IL (KTRK) -- A man in Chicago says he's fed up with the rising crime in his neighborhood.

And he says since police can't keep up with criminals, he found someone else to do the job.

Security firm owner Howard Greer, also a Chicago cop, patrols the 1100 block of North Lasalle.

It's his off-duty job, paid for by this man, block resident De Mudd.

"I've been watching my neighborhood deteriorate over the last couple of years," Mudd said.

Police, he says, couldn't keep up.

So Greer and fellow off-duty officers now walk the near north pocket with guns and handcuffs six days a week, eight hours a day.

The biggest problems here? Drug dealing, prostitution and loitering.

"It's like a supplement, supplement to crime-fighting, supplement to the police department. I think it's very effective," Howard Greer, security officer, said.

It's effective, but expensive.

"We've paid out roughly since the middle of august $5,000," Mudd said.

He's budgeted $50,000.

Does he have any regrets about using this much of his own money?"

"Not at all," said Mudd. "Not at all! I have the means. I've been very fortunate."

Mudd doesn't blame police and, in fact, sympathizes with them. He also talked to his alderman before hiring Greer's firm. "I reached the point where i couldn't take it any more," he said.

Chicago alderman Walter Burnett said he remembers speaking to Mudd about the idea, and agrees there are not enough police patrols.

Burnett doesn't think it should come to this and neither does Mudd.

"I have solved the problem for my neighborhood," Mudd said. "but what I've done is I've just pushed the problem to another street corner in Chicago. And that's not the results that we, as citizens, should be looking for."

Mudd said he's hoping the city could tackle the root causes of crime.

Otherwise, he says people in other areas could end up doing the same thing as he did.