BATON ROUGE - As the memorial where 21-year-old Allie Rice was murdered continues to grow, Baton Rouge police say they're increasing efforts to stop violent crimes.

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The Baton Rouge Police Department said Thursday they have identified certain gangs that are causing trouble in the capital area. 

"We have about eight groups or gangs that we believe are engaging in violence in the city," Police Chief Murphy Paul said in Thursday's press conference. 

To combat this, the department has picked certain areas in the city where they are seeing the most crime to increase police patrol. 

The following areas of Baton Rouge will see the full force of the police department:

- Along Highland Road, north of LSU to downtown

- Three subzones north of Government Street to Winbourne, including the area near Baton Rouge Community College

- Two subzones north of Evangeline Street — one of them near Southern University, the other west of Airline Highway

- In the Third District — the neighborhood surrounding Belaire High School

"You will see heavier law enforcement: you will see our tactical units, you will see our K-9 units, you will see our aviation units. We are not there for the good, law-abiding citizens; we are there to protect you, not to enforce anything on you," Paul said. 

Baton Rouge has tried to be tougher on crime before. BRPD is hoping to see improvements and is asking the community to be patient. 

"We will not tolerate the gun violence in this city, and we ask the community to be patient and support us when you see us out there," Paul said. 

Allie Rice's murder case is still unsolved, and it's one of the homicides setting the parish on pace to meet last year's unsettling record of 170.

As of Thursday night, the EBR Coroner's Office reports 103 homicides across the city-parish in 2022. At this point last year, this number was below 100.