Last week, the Clarksville Police Department wrote 438 citations in one eight-hour shift in the area of town known as District 2.

They were back to the same area earlier this week, issuing more citations. They say they're making this effort to let residents of the area know that the CPD will not tolerate drug trafficking, prostitution or other crimes in the area.

District 2 includes Providence Boulevard, downtown and Southern Hills.

Thirty officers descended on the Providence Boulevard part of the district to send their message, News Channel 5 reports.

"Up here you get everything from drugs to prostitution," one officer told the TV station. "You name it, you get it up here."

Law enforcement officials said the Providence Boulevard area has the city's highest crime rate and highest rate of poverty as well.

So they began their citation-issuing invasion of the area with a heavy traffic enforcement presence on the street where nearly 2,000 accidents have been reported in the past several years.

The officer the TV station spoke to noted that "some of the world's worst criminals have been brought in on a traffic stop."

Officers were reportedly searching every vehicle they pulled over during what they've dubbed "Operation Defiance."

Clarksville's police chief said "we are going to cut down on violent crime, on drugs in this particular neighborhood."

Some will undoubtedly wonder what handing out hundreds of tickets will do to end poverty and drug use in the area.

Regardless, those who face charges of drug dealing or drug possession as a result of this effort should understand that it's in their best interests not to discuss the matter with police until after they've talked over their options with a criminal defense attorney.

Source: News Channel 5: "Clarksville Police Trying To Change Blighted Neighborhood," Kim Gebbia, Nov. 2, 2011