Chicago’s violent crime problem seems to be spreading to the historically safe “north side” neighborhoods. The spike in crime on the north side comes as Chicago’s police department has diverted more officers to the city’s violent south and west side neighborhoods to fight extreme levels of violence there. As reported by local Chicago news station WGN, violent crime is up 61% in the Loop this year with Near North Side up 50%, Lincoln Park up 42% and Edgewater up 44%.