INC NEWS - Fw: [pac2] response to HS letter " gangs"

[Ken Gasch]

response to HS letter " gangs"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Macaluso, Daryl 
To: pac2 at yahoogroups.com 
Cc: pac1 at yahoogroups.com ; pac3 at yahoogroups.com ; pac4 at yahoogroups.com ; pac5 at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 1:01 PM
Subject: [pac2] response to HS letter " gangs"


       
      Whats broken? How do we fix it? Do we have the right tools?.. Lots of people in the community think gang members are strangers that have invaded our beautiful city. "They are easily identified with their gang stuff and should be immediately apprehended by the police, removed and trespassed from the entire county". The truth is "American gang culture" has  become "American pop culture" and if you know nothing about gangs then you may be the stranger in a the strange land.
      These "strangers", these "gang bangers" who have invaded our communities have a common name. They are called "our children". The city offers anti-gang education and gang awareness classes to anyone who calls to request it. We as parents and guardians we need to understand the gang phenomena. We try our best to steer "our children" away from vices like drugs, alcohol and, teen sex. Lets add to the list gangs. Learn the signs and symbols and check your home. When a school official or a law enforcement officer calls and says your kid may be involved in gand related activity, don't say "not my baby" but rather "what can we do?". National statistics show 24% of kids are recruited to gangs in school and 41% are recruited in the neighborhood. That means 65% of this is happening under our noses. (All those years out of elementry ad i still remeber my math!)
      I think some may have missed the point of the city leaders when they asked for more community involvement. We are proud of the support and continued efforts from all segments of the community. I believe Durham has the most supportive and involved citizens in the state. (When was the last time ANYBODY elses school board meetings on the national news?) The city of Durham also has the largest gang enforcement unit in the state and one of the largest gang enforcement units in the entire Southeastern United States. The city even has officers dedicated to gang prevention in Durham Public Schools. Add juvenile, violent crime and homicide investigators and you'll see our city has invested vast amount resources in Prevention and Enforcement. Whats the missing ingredient.. Intervention. We need our communities provide more intervention and help us (the police) with the prevention at home. Although we try our best in the invention part with the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program, G.R.E.A.T. Summer Youth Academy, Police Explorer Post, Streetlights to Starlights, Project Safe Neighborhood.etc ... The missing piece of the P.I.E. is Intervention. Prevention Intervention and Enforcement..( I know the P.I.E. thing is corny but, catchy you have to admit).
      The city needs us! The police need us! Yes us; us police are part of the community too. We are home owners too and want good schools too and safe neighborhoods too, just as much as (even more than) any one else (especially since it would make our job easier if there were no crime). We can all start by doing our part with "our children".
     But How do I know if my kids involved? Good question Mr. Joe Citizen .well there is usually a marked change in behavior. The child may become confrontational and verbally abusive, and show disrespect for parental authority and other authority figures. You may notice a change in attendance and attitude about school, church, or other previously considered normal activities. You may notice graffiti symbols on or around your residence, especially in a child's room on walls, furniture, clothing, notebooks or other personal belongings. Tattoos and brandings may also be an indicator, especially those of stars, pitchforks, unexplained symbols or letters. Baseball caps worn to the right or left or one pant leg rolled up. Jewelry, including, earrings, or necklaces with nicknames, stars, pitchforks or unexplained initials or symbols. Clothing always with a particular color or team identification. New friends that the parents are not permitted to meet. Phone threats received at home from rival gangs (or unknown callers) directed against your child. Physical signs of being in a fight, such as bruises and cuts and secrecy on the child's part as to how they were received. . Negative continued contacts with the police. Photographs of your child and others displaying gang hand signs, weapons, cash, drugs or gang-type clothing. And of course if you notice firearms, ammunition or other weapons in the possession of or in the child's room, there is cause for concern. (This info was provided by the East Coast Gang Investigators Association, For more information on gangs contact The Durham Police Department's Gang Resistance Unit).


Cpl. D. Macaluso
Durham Police Dept.
919.572.8737
919.539.9819

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