Last Thursday was not a bad day to be thrown out of your house, all things considered.

Intermittent morning showers gave way to bright sunshine as officers from the eviction unit of the Cook County Sheriff's Department fanned out through the condominiums along Western Avenue north of Sauk Trail in Park Forest.

In all, 33 units were targeted at the request of the development's owner and the village. The units were occupied by alleged drug dealers, squatters in vacant apartments and, occasionally, people who just couldn't make the rent.

"I'm really torn," said Sheriff Tom Dart, who was on hand to oversee his department's actions. "But these landlords are not a charity. Like everyone else, they have bills to pay."

Sheriff's spokesman Penny Mateck said the evictions supervisor had asked Catholic Charities to be on hand to assist people who were genuinely in need.

But not everyone harbored regrets about the evictions.

Vickie Chandler, who has lived on Hemlock Street for seven years, said conditions had deteriorated in the past year or so to the point where she is often afraid to sit outside with her family.

She was standing on a front porch with her granddaughter, whom she was watching while her daughter and her husband celebrated their anniversary.

The 7-year-old clutched her doll Hearty -- she'd named her for the two hearts on her front -- and watched as a man was led away in handcuffs.

"Some people do bad things here," she said.

Spokesman Steve Patterson said that during the evictions a number of people were found to have outstanding arrest warrants.

Officer Kyle Tryba, who has worked the eviction squad for three years, said, "You're not taking sides, you're doing a job.

"Once you step outside, it's in their power whether they want to work things out with the landlord or not."

She said it is easier now than when she started, because a change in policy allows furniture to remain in the townhouse rather than being placed outside.

"You can be a little more empathetic with people," Tryba said.

These aren't people who bought in over their heads from unscrupulous mortgage brokers. Most are drifters who will find another place to live before the week is out.

Chandler won't miss them.

"There were fights, sometimes almost every night," she said. "You could call the police, but when they got here, everybody had run away.

"Maybe it will be more quiet now."

The opinions are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at markk@nwitimes.com or (219) 933-4170.