Mayor Rahm Emanuel has asked federal law enforcement for help in combating violence and drugs in two areas of Chicago that the city says have seen the highest increase in crime this year.



Chicago police officers will coordinate with U.S. marshals and FBI, DEA and ATF agents to go after what the mayor called "high-crime areas and high-target individuals" in the Grand Crossing and Ogden police districts on the South Side.



The plan is modeled after a crackdown approach that involves saturating so-called conflict zones with gang, narcotics and patrol officers in the Englewood District on the South Side and the Harrison District on the West Side.



Emanuel and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said that approach has reduced homicides in those two areas. "I'm pleased that we are going to get that type of support, and the strategy is working," Emanuel said at a news conference.



McCarthy said he expects similar results with both "immediate and long-term achievements" in Grand Crossing and Ogden. Although McCarthy said the plan is not a "short-term strategy, " the federal assistance only lasts four months. The help comes in the form of additional agents to target guns, gangs and drugs.



"We're working on the worst of the worst . . . the people who are most likely to be involved in homicide, whether they are the offender or a victim of homicide," McCarthy said.



In Grand Crossing, homicides are up 56 percent and in Ogden they are up 45 percent through Aug. 19, according to the most recent police records available.



The city's "Violence Reduction Initiative" started in Englewood and Harrison districts in mid-January.



Police records show that from Jan. 1 through Aug. 19, the Englewood District had a 25 percent reduction in homicides compared with the same period last year. In the Harrison District homicides were down 3 percent.



The city's overall homicide rate is about 31 percent higher than last year. After a year-over-year reduction in homicides in July, the numbers have increased again this month relative to a year ago.



"We've obviously had a very difficult August so we have our work cut out for us," Emanuel said.



kmack@tribune.com

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