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Holly Hills fighting crime by walking the beat

Steve Butz, the founder of the "Cops Walking a Beat" program, said they hope their success could lead to a domino effect across the city.

ST. LOUIS – People in Holly Hills were concerned about crime in recent years, but took it upon themselves to try to fix it.

The concerns got so bad people didn't want to walk the streets at night. Now, a year after implementing the "Cops Walking the Beat" program, the program is being seen as a huge success.

"It made an instant impact," said resident Mike Ehrlich. "Not just for me and my wife and our own well-being, but neighbors coming and saying like, 'We noticed this, we see these people.' It's been a great change."

Cops Walking the Beat is a program founded by Steve Butz. The program, which is funded by voluntary donations from residents, pays off-duty police officers to walk the neighborhood to keep an eye on suspicious activity.

In the year since the Cops Walking a Beat Program was created, Butz said crime in the neighborhood has gone down by 29 percent.

But, at first It was tough for Butz to get the program off the ground. He and his son-in-law Mike Ehrlich funded it themselves.

Now, more than 300 households chip in. Cops are out patrolling four days per week and neighbors feel safer.

Butz said they hope their success could lead to a domino effect across the city.

"It is definitely worth the trouble," Butz said. "If you want to improve your neighborhood, improve stability for your neighbors, your own kids, it is absolutely worth it."

Butz and Erlich said the success of the program comes down to people are willing to come together and look out after one another. They say it truly takes a community.

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