(Southaven, MS) Mandi Hillenburg lives just down the road from some Southaven apartments and says they have a bad reputation, ”Yes they do.” “Why?” “There’s drugs, all kinds of crime in ‘em.”

For years, police have responded to crimes, started extra patrols and other things.

Nothing helped, until the city started a street crimes unit and opened the lines of communication with apartment managers.

”A lot of the complexes weren’t communicating with each other to the degree that they would throw somebody out for violating laws and things like that and they’d just move to another complex,” said Southaven Police Chief Tom Long.

Now, the two officers in the street crimes unit visit apartment managers regularly, tackling crime before it happens.

In looking at statistics, Southaven Police found as many as one-third of Southaven residents live in apartments with some complexes having reputations as real hotspots for crime.

Now, more complexes are enforcing tough rules, and taking no excuses.

The difference is noticeable.

Complexes that were among the city’s worst, now have a much cleaner look, and far fewer problems.

”These guys check in daily, they keep the apartment managers advised of what law enforcement is doing during the night in the complex,” said Long.

Managers have done such a good job, police honored several of them at a recent city board meeting.

That makes Mandi Hillenburg feel more secure, ”Yes I am and I hope they get ‘em all gone out of Southaven”.

Because she says crime has no place in her community.