Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 1 comment Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
United against gangs
Published Thursday, January 29, 2009
A table loaded with weapons and ammunition. Leather jackets emblazoned with swastikas and mottos. A shadow box with mementoes of a fallen brother. They all helped provide evidence of an organized biker gang, the Renegade Outlaws, three of whose members police have accused of participating in a mob assault in Suffolk last month.
The search warrants and arrests Wednesday morning provided a graphic backdrop to a meeting the night before at King’s Fork Middle School, where hundreds of city residents learned that as many as 20 different gangs operate in the city today.
Those attending saw a disturbing video about gangs and the damage they do to individuals, families and communities. Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell produced the video, “The Wrong Family: Virginia Fights Back Against Gangs” to help the state’s residents understand the high costs of gang activity, both in dollars and in lives.
Wednesday’s event was hosted by Suffolk Commonwealth’s Attorney C. Phillips “Phil” Ferguson, who has reason to know a thing or two about the damage that gangs can do to a community. Ferguson’s office has been involved in some relatively high-profile gang prosecutions in recent years, and it’s a growing trend that neither prosecutors nor police can be comfortable with.
It’s heartening, though, that Wednesday’s forum attracted so many concerned citizens, as neither police nor prosecutors will be able to defeat the gangs that are trying to take over parts of the city without citizens getting involved and taking a stand.
Look for the warning signs, and call police when you see them. Keep your own kids from getting involved, and speak up when you see your neighbor’s kids falling into the wrong crowd. Suffolk residents must stand united against this threat.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
Comments
Posted by OD (anonymous) on January 31, 2009 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gangs: 80% Of Crime
January 30th, 2009
Maybe federal and state governments could impose a gang tax or charge them for their carbon footprints….
Criminal gangs in the USA have swelled to an estimated 1 million members responsible for up to 80% of crimes in communities across the nation, according to a gang threat assessment compiled by federal officials.
The major findings in a report by the Justice Department's National Gang Intelligence Center, which has not been publicly released, conclude gangs are the "primary retail-level distributors of most illicit drugs" and several are "capable" of competing with major U.S.-based Mexican drug-trafficking organizations.
Maybe President Obama could meet with them without preconditions. That scares the hell out of our enemies, right?
The O man meet face to face with gang leaders and tell 'em to "knock it off" etc…he was a community organizer you know.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)