Gang Awareness for Havelock - the City of Havelock, North Carolina

Gang Awareness
for Havelock
Prepared by:
North Carolina
Governor’s Crime Commission and the Havelock
Police Department
Introduction
Havelock Police Department
Chief of Police G. Wayne Cyrus
Gang Officer Anthony Torres
Gang Detective James E. MacRoberts
Disclaimer
The Havelock Police Department nor any of its
Officers assume liability and cannot guarantee
any results. The Havelock Police department
does not discriminate against any person, group,
organization or religions. The information
contained in this presentation is used as a
general guide and not the primary source of
identification of gangs. This presentation is to
educate and inform the public on gangs only.
Agenda
We will talk about the term GANG.
We will discuss reasons why kids join gangs and the
levels of gang involvement.
I will cover briefly the profile of a gang member and
colors, clothing and tattoos associated with gang
members.
You will be able to see the early indications of gang
membership and how parents and the community
can get involved to reduce gang influence.
Overview
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Youth violence is a widespread problem in the
United States. Havelock is no different from
any other community.
The number of deaths and serious injuries
increased dramatically during the late 1980’s and
early 1990’s as more youth began to carry guns
and other weapons.
Definitions of the term GANG
Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary A group
of persons working together to unlawful or antisocial ends having
informal or usual close social relations.
North Carolina General Statute 15A-1340.16(2a)
Any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons,
whether formal or informal, having as one of its primary activities the
commission of a felony or violent misdemeanor offenses, or delinquent acts
that would be felonies or violent misdemeanor offenses, or delinquent acts that
would be felonies or violent misdemeanors if committed by an adult, and
having a common name or common identifying sign, colors, or symbols.
WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A HAVELOCK ORDINANCE
ADDRESSING THE IDENTIFICATION OF GANGS AND GANG
MEMBERS!
Reasons to Join a GANG
What are our kids thinking?
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Protection/neighborhoods, criminal enterprise
Poverty/quick and easy access to money
Emotional Needs/like minded people banding
together for a common cause
Social Support
Feel they are victims of prejudice and discrimination.
Looking for social group with common interests.
Looking for alternate form of family.
Looking for “respect” on the street.
FACTORS OF GANG LIFE
Natural Family vs. Gang Family
POWER
MONEY
SEX
DRUGS
PROTECTION
Gangsta411.com
Gang Identifiers
Who are these people/folks?
GANG CATEGORIES
Folk Nation
People Nation
Asian Gangs
Filipino
Chinese
Japanese
Korean
etc.
Russian Mafia
Hispanic Gangs
Supremacy
Groups
Neo-Nazi
Skin Heads
Folk Nation (Crips)
Symbols and Numbers
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“All is one”
Color is prominently
blue.
Known as slobs to
bloods.
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Six pointed star.
Raised pitchforks
(upward).
Numbers associated
with 6.
Folk Nation (Crips)
How can I tell?
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Wearing articles of clothing to
the right, such as caps,
bandannas, and belt buckles.
Wearing jewelry to the right.
Rolling up the right pant leg.
Flag in back right pocket. Caps
leaning to the right.
We have identified several of
our youth being affiliated as
Crips/Folk nation.
People Nation (Bloods)
Symbols and Numbers
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“All is well”
Color is
prominently red
(recent trend is
white).
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Five pointed star.
Lowered pitchforks
(downward) as a sign
of disrespect towards
Crips/crabs.
Numbers associated
with 5.
People Nation (Bloods)
How can I be sure?
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Form their hand signs with the
left hand.
Wear their hats cocked or tilted
to the left.
Roll up the left pant leg.
May untie the left shoe.
They rest their hand in the left
pocket.
Wear jewelry to the left.
Hispanic/Latino Gangs
MEXICAN GANGS
Surenos or Sur-13 (In Craven County)
Vatos Locos (In Craven County)
Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) (not yet)
Mexican Mafia (In Craven County, but
frequently seen in Havelock)
Trinitarios (Dominican)
Remnants of these gangs have been
spotted getting closer to Havelock!
Hispanic Gangs Symbols
Mexican Mafia
Latin Kings
Asian Gangs
Local Asian Street Gangs
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We have been informed of a possible Filipino
gang within the city of Havelock. At the
moment, their numbers appear small, but we
have a growing Asian community!
White Supremacy Groups
Motorcycle Gangs
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One Percenters!
1%
what is that all about?
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Name derived from AMA response to Hollister,
CA, riot in 1947. . “…99% of motorcyclists were
law-abiding citizens, and the last one percent
were outlaws.”
Riot was a local hill climb event that got out of
hand.
Bad boy image continued with early 50’s movies
with Marlon Brando “Wild One” and early 70’s
films with Peter Fonda “Easy Rider”.
Disrespecting
Ones Colors
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Degrading one’s colors
or symbols is the
ultimate humiliation,
and usually initiates
retaliation.
Female Gangs
Our sisters and daughters!
Female Gangs
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We have only identified one female gang known
to be in association with bloods/peoples
Why “girls” join
Dysfunctional home environment.
 Poor relationships with their parents.
 Fed up with double standards.
 Witnessed or experienced beatings in
home.
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The MTV Age
In today’s society more of these
gang members are sending their
messages through videos and song
The following videos depict the Blood
and Crip life style through song and
dance. Each verse and each movement
has a specific meaning!
Blood Walk Video
Found on YouTube
The Crip Walk
Originally, members of the Crips would use nimble movements of their feet to spell out
their names or other pro-Crips words (sometimes spelling out Bloods, the name of their
rival gang, and then crossing it out). Many Crip gangs also use a C-Walk ceremony to
celebrate the initiation of a new member.
Hand Signs
Tattoos
Clothing
Havelock
Graffiti
Thousands of Dollars in
Damages
Can affect community morale
Can we find something
else for our youth to do?
Gang Presence
Checklist
To be used as a guide only
CHECKLIST
1. Is graffiti showing up in your neighborhood or
school?
2. Has any graffiti been crossed out by other
graffiti?
3. Do some students or young people in the
neighborhood wear noticeable “colors,”
bandanas or tattoos?
4. Do some students or neighborhoods display
behavior that may be gang related, such as
meeting in groups?
5. Do some students or neighborhood kids flash
hand signals?
CHECKLIST
6. Are drugs available on or near schools or
neighborhood?
7. Has there been a significant increase in physical
confrontation or “stare downs” in the last year?
8. Are weapons increasingly present in the
community?
9. Do students use or have beepers, pagers, phones?
10. Have there been “drive by” shows or displays of
weapons?
11. Have there been any “drive by” shootings in the
neighborhood or near the school?
CHECKLIST
12. Has the truancy rate noticeably increased during
the past year?
13. Have the number of racial incidents increased in
the community and/or school.
14. Does the community have a history of gang
presence or activity?
15. Is there an increasing presence of “informal”
social groups with unusual names such as “SUR”
or “East Side”?
16. Have your children come home with bruises for
no reason.
Warning Signs That Your Child
May be Involved with a Gang
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Admits to hanging out with
kids in gangs
Shows an unusual interest in
one or two particular colors
of clothing or a particular
logo
Has an unusual interest in
gangster-influenced music,
videos, movies, websites
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Uses unusual hand signals to
communicate with friends
Has specific drawings or
gang symbols on school
books, clothes, wall, or
tattoos
Comes home with
unexplained physical injuries
(fight related bruises, injuries
to hands and knuckles)
Warning Signs That Your Child
May be Involved with a Gang
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Has unexplained cash
or goods, such as
clothing or jewelry
Carries a weapon
Has been in trouble
with police
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Exhibits negative changes in
behavior such as:
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Withdrawing from family
Declining in school attendance,
performance, behavior
Staying out late without reason
Displaying an unusual desire for
secrecy
Exhibiting signs of drug abuse
Breaking the rules constantly
Speaking in gang style slang
List provide by COPS Office
What Parents
can do to
Prevent Gang
Involvement
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Spend quality time with
your child
Get involved in your
child’s school activities
Know your child’s
friends and their families
Encourage good study
habits
Teach your child how to
cope with peer pressure
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Help your child develop
good conflict/resolutions
skills
(www.safeyouth.org/scripts/
teens/conflict.asp)
Encourage your child to
participate in positive
afterschool activities with
adult supervision (rec centers,
organized sports, youth
groups)
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Take action in your
neighborhood (create
an alliance, report and
remove graffiti)
Talk with your child
about the dangers and
consequences of gang
involvement. Let them
know that you don’t
want to see him/her
hurt or arrested
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Explain to your child that
he/she should NOT:
-associate with gang members
-attend parties or social events
sponsored by gang members
-use hand signs, symbols, or
language that is meaningful to
gangs
-wear clothing including specific
colors, which may have meaning
to gangs in your area
provided by COPS office
Community Involvement
 Teach
Children
 Get Involved
 Use Common Sense Tips
 Report Crimes and Suspicious
Activities
 Get to Know Your Neighbors
Community Involvement
Find Ways to Settle Arguments
Without Violence
 Use Common Courtesy
 Don’t Carry a Weapon
 Don’t Support Illegal Activities
 Volunteer Your Home
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National Crime Prevention Council
Community Involvement
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Find a group or start one of your own
Become a mentor/tutor
Become active in youth affairs
Become familiar with the network of youthserving agencies in the community
Neighborhood clean-up and beautification
projects
New Laws Addressing Gang
Related Issues
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In dealing with the problems associated with
criminal street organizations, the NC General
Assembly has approved new laws to help stem
the tide of violence associated with gangs.
2008 Legislation (S.L 2008-214) created new
gang-related offenses. As you will see, all of
these offenses are Felonies.
NCGS 14-50.16 Pattern of Street
gang activity: Class H Felony
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Elements: A person is guilty of this offense
(1) Is employed by, associated with a criminal street
gang and;
 (2)
(a) conducts or participates in a pattern of
criminal street gang activity OR
(b) Acquires or maintains any interest in or
control of real or personal property
through a pattern of criminal street gang
activity.
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NCGS 14-50.16 Organizer of Street
Gang Activity: Class F Felony
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Elements: A person is guilty of this offense if:
 (1) Is employed by or associated with a criminal
street gang AND
 (2) Is an organizer, supervisor, or acts in any other
position of management with regard to the criminal
street gang AND
 (3) (a) Conducts or participates in a pattern of
criminal street gang activity OR
 (b) Acquires or maintains any interest in or
control of any real or personal property through a
pattern of criminal street gang activity.
NCGS 14-50.17: Soliciting; encouraging
participation Class H Felony
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Elements: A person is guilty of this offense if:
 (1) Causes, encourages, solicits, or coerces
 (2) A person 16 years of age or older
 (3) To participate in criminal street gang
activity
NCGS 14-50.18: Soliciting Minor’s
Participation in Street Gangs Class F Felony
Elements: A person is guilty of this
offense if:
 (1) Causes, encourages, solicits or coerces
 (2) A person under 16 years of age
 (3) To participate in criminal street gang
activity
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NCGS 14-50.19: Threats to deter from
gang withdrawal: Class H Felony
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Elements: A person is guilty of this offense if:
(1) Communicates
(2) A threat
(3) Of injury to a person or damage the property
of another
(4) With the intent to deter a person from
assisting another to withdraw from membership
in a criminal street gang
NCGS 14-15.20: Threats After Gang
Withdrawal Class H Felony
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Elements: A person is guilty of this offense if:
(1) Communicates
(2) A threat of injury to a person or to damage
the property of another
(3) As punishment or retaliation against a person
for having withdrawn from a criminal street
gang
NCGS 14-34.9: Discharging a firearm from
within an enclosure Class E Felony
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Elements: A person is guilty of this offense if:
(1) Willfully or wantonly
(2) Discharges or attempts to discharge
(3) A firearm
(4) from within a building, structure, motor
vehicle, or other conveyance, erection or
enclosure
(5) As a part of criminal street gang activity
Summary
You have learned what a gang is and how
to identify gang activity in your area.
 You have learned warning signs that your
child may be involved with a gang and how
you can prevent it.
 You have learned what you as a
community can do about gang activity.
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Thanks and Credits
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North Carolina Gang Investigators Association for
their help in the making of this presentation!
To the Commissioners of the City of Havelock for
allowing us to make this presentation.
To the community, for your continued support!
Questions and Answers
North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission
www.ncgccd.org
North Carolina Crime Prevention Association
www.nccpa.20m.com
North Carolina Gang Investigator’s Association
www.ncgangcops.org