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6A ♦ WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2006 Task force seminar gives community ttys on speUfcc gang activity By RAYUGHTSFR Journal Staff Writ* It’s good when a commu nity comen together Jerome Stephens, coordi nator got an "amen" to that statement and many others from the community that came together Thursday night for the ninth annual Houston County Gang Task Fbrce seminar. "Clang leaders and drug dealers are looking for someone weak minded." Stephens said. "We have these seminars to educate us parents to keep our kids out of gangs Prevention and education are the best ways to keep them out of gangs and off drugs." Det. Karen Stokes, gang task force officer from the Warner Robins Police Department echoed that “We have a tough job as par ents to raise and protect our kids,” Stokes said. “Drugs and guns are running ram pant in our streets. The best way to arm ourselves, to protect our children is edu cation." It has worked, Stephens and District Attorney Kelly Burke each noted, pointing to a reduction in gang activ ity over the past nine years. “Nine years ago there were 23 organized gangs." Stephens said. “Now there are none organized, but there is some activity." He encouraged people to call the gang hotline. 218- GANG (4264). Burke said back in 1997 “we got real active” against gangs. “Gang activity has vastly diminished” from then. He said gang activity is second only to meth when it comes the biggest prob lem in the middle Georgia courts. Burke said the activity now is mostly “wanna-be’s.” He quoted Perry Police Chief George Potter, say ing “if they’re a wanna-be, they’re gonna be if we don’t do something.” Potter came to Perry from Columbus, which had a large gang problem at the time. Guest speaker Det. Choice Barnes of the Valdosta Police Department said, “there’s no such thing as a wanna-be. What’s going on in your town is no different than in the big cities, there’s just fewer people.” Barnes said, “the gangs might not be organized but you’re right close to Macon and Milledgeville - some of the worst gang areas in the state.” He ran off a list of the gangs in Valdosta, whose membership is black, white and Hispanic. Gangs there include MSI3, SIR 13, Black Gangster Disciples, multiple groups of Folk, Bloods and Crips, as well as biker gangs Hammer Skins and Black Pistols. He said tattoos are the strongest evidence of gang affiliation. Clothing is also an indica tor, but alone does not indi cate gang involvement since current styles imitate gang styles of all one color - red, blue, black - bandanas and baggy and sagging pants, as well as white T-shirts. Barnes said white is a neutral color to gangs, and the popularity may have to do more with a rap song entitled “My White T-shirt.” He went over other indi cators like being disrespect ful to teachers and parents, drops in grades, refusing to follow house rules, changes in friends, extreme loyalty to them and being secretive about activities with them. “Parents have to get con trol of the home,” Barnes said. “The kids don’t run the show.” Other indicators include drawing numbers or sym bols on themselves, unusual writing on books or clothing, pictures of them throwing gang hand signals, as well as having unaccounted for money and jewelry like stars. “Sammy Davis Jr. is the only brother I know who claimed to be Jewish,” Barnes, said, referring to the star of David some of the gangsters wear. Signs of being in a fight and substance abuse are another indicator as is secre cy about how the injuries | f JNT jSS -A - v A Concerned parents end r hitdfen che, k nut s*m Pt Hw M f**A‘N* at ninth annual NOIMtI " * ' gang insignias (five at si* point shun) xtmwd on mtehooks **' some of the fewelry, el cetera couffsx -*tod a * *>-“sOtWl lA*s - o 1,1 1 >' name on ft. happened. Gangs sometime* beat in new members a a form of initiation Girls join ing gangs may be beat in or sexed in - forced to have with one or more memhp' of the gang Some of the signs for git Is in gangs include dark lines around their lip. streaks of color in their hair and colored fingernails Barnes said the' females Usnallx carry the packages idrugs and guns), sometime in their hairpieces. Gangs are everywhere." Barnes said. “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck Call it what it is. It’s a duck How can it be prevented” Barnes encouraged par ents to get invok'd in tlicit child’s activities Get them involved in church mentor ing groups or sports. “Get involved in their lives keep up on 'em." Sometimes getting them away from the gang works Sfft ; IjliPIl*,;;: 'H?' 11l M Wm v > «| |||p| ft* • J«tM* itnl M -tv I Iplt*in i District Attorney Kelly Burke presents a plague in umg seminar guest speaker Det. Choice Barnes of lire Vahtosla Police Department. IJ |, f j /■ r ■ ,M & ,-, i^;\ffi : I l ■ nf 1_ „ t ßfl wflif Ilf ■„ v- 1 SoiUettmes tt dot-U t Ihr mother nl a 13 \s-nr old said she mop'd Bom Voldo-tt to get bet rhdd aw at Bom the gitngs “He Won't go to ehtlh'b because ot the anti gang prugrttm* Now hr n tu leadership heir Barnes said I hex hove to want to get out -tad is not always the best 010 (ion. Burke said Burnett tut alternative sentencing c needed Von know who Is in the jail''" Burke asked other ganpstefs t'hev learti in jail, Barnes said it s also a badge ot boom 110 them to go to jail Thev'te held in higher legat'd hi the gang Barnes and Burke also encouraged people to report suspected gang activity B anvone pressures vott Into a gang, let a teacher, parent ot police know. Barnes aid While it s not illegal to hi in aging until there s erltut nal activity," he said, 'll 1° illegal for them to presstll' tOCAt llovateu 8 Vert nr Shunt I hit people tin tied out ho hmisvloy tooiumu and the kid wt'it mvonh'd doot |OI * B' ‘Pl'trrtotr them et ntti'i toil mitt not i mourn the >tieel> v Ookr-' sold tills tgitl ini out* were given t>' |hive It all nelmid srUiOls Oiwl I lit et ItiltltOS' t hit ki d S t tty. tour Hu i to, !>> n net ' \h Utk Wilt glim u.p tto t>Hnpto in dent* I tinh outlets -ai ttlltl It p islet Vt' t'lghl It I'aastsa UUtt s • til It sn ail i t ins t avlh >1 t let • (luce Hills m|ia- two ton h Bom lhs> tin tt ih thlti ami ol hsa gt ade t ho heal ptt'V't'llull the ti,.„i lotioii | a on summit ultt i i too' to ails! 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