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September 2, 2010
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Community meeting identifies local gang issue
Published June 17, 2009
WALTON COUNTY — Throughout the county, local youth are faced with the seduction of gangs — a criminal family that offers acceptance and financial gain to lonely, struggling teens.
In Monroe alone, the Lacy Street Gang has an estimated 50 members and rival gang the Perry Street Goons not much less. In Social Circle, the local Holly Street Gang clashes regularly with the Eight Trey Gang, a suspected offshoot of a California gang.
Yet county law enforcement are already doing what they can to combat the problem of gang violence with the creation of the Gang Investigation Unit, a task force combining the efforts of each city’s police department and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
“A growing county will grow some problems,” said Bob Gilbert, school resource officer for Loganville High School and a member of the GIU. “Rather than be overwhelmed by gang problems, we’re trying to be proactive before it becomes too big.”
As part of combating local gang issues, Gilbert is giving presentations to local groups to help parents and residents identify signs of gang activity and help stop gang violence before it can start.
“We want to get the knowledge out there,” Gilbert said. “We want this open to everybody.”
Gilbert and fellow GIU member Ronnie Garcia gave their latest presentation at The Partner-ship for Families, Children and Youth yesterday as part of spreading knowledge of gang activity.
Garcia said it was important for people to know about the signs of gang activity to help make Walton a harder place for gangs to infiltrate.
“It’s a growing thing,” Garcia said. “We want to become a county that’s a hard target for gang members.”
Yet Gilbert admitted the gang problem wasn’t just going away.
“It’s always changing,” Gilbert said as he identified such indicators of gang membership as nicknames, clothing choices, hand signs, jewelry, tattoos and brands as well as graffiti. “It’s an ever-changing world for us to keep up with.”
As Gilbert pointed out, gang symbols such as five-pointed stars, pitchforks and initials for such larger gang affiliations such as the Gangsta Disciples, Vice Lords, Latin Kings and the Crips and Bloods, were already filtering down to local youth.
“There’s a saying — ‘If it looks like a dog, acts like a dog and thinks like a dog, it’s a dog,’” Gilbert said. “Just because you have a certain nickname or wear certain jewelry doesn’t mean you’re in a gang. But if a person looks and acts like a gang member, we’re going to assume you are.”
Garcia said gang symbols filtered down to non-gang members in a variety of ways.
“The Bloods and the Crips have their own Web sites,” Garcia said. “People are throwing up gang signs on their Facebook pages. There’s always more involved than you think.”
Yet Gilbert emphasized people could still combat gang activity through prevention.
“Parents are the No. 1 enemy of gangs,” Gilbert said. “Gangs provide a sense of family, but we can help children deal with their problems, get involved with them and spend quality time with them. We have to be there for these kids.”
As the GIU works to fight gang activity such as drug sales, racketeering, rape and other violent crimes — the GIU has recently been cracking down on curfew violations to help keep gang members off the streets — Gilbert said The Partnership and individuals could also help fight gang activity by getting involved with local youth before gangs can reach them.
“You now know some things to help fight this with,” Gilbert said.
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