Do you know if your child is involved with gang activity?
Do you know what to look for to help identify gang membership or association?
What are gang colors and gang signs?
Colors refers to a gang member representing his/her membership by wearing a specific gang logo, particular colors of clothing, a specific brand name of clothing or clothing worn in a predefined manner. This may also include hairstyles, jewelry, or even the way a person stands, walks or folds arms and hands. Colors identify the gang member and show member pride and affiliation.
Hand signals and gang slang are a means of communication. Symbols formed and flashed with the fingers, hands, and body have very specific meaning to the gang. The same goes for buzz words or phrases. Remember all of these may be area or geographic region specific and meanings may vary.
Why do gangs use graffiti and what does it mean?
As gang activity increases so does their graffiti. Graffiti has been called the "newspaper of the streets." Each gang has its unique symbols and cryptic types of writing. Graffiti is not artwork; it is sophisticated communication that publicizes the gang's power, status, delineates territory, sends messages, and warns intruders. Graffiti upside down or crossed out is generally a 'put down' or threat to a rival gang or person. 'Death warrants' for police officers are known to have been posted with graffiti.
What are some typical pre-gang behaviors?
Gang involvement does not happen overnight. It is a gradual process and if you are alert you will see the signs.
· Poor progress or achievement in school.
· Truancy from school.
· Lack of hobbies or too much leisure time.
· Frequent contact with authority figures or police.
· Draws gang insignias/symbols.
· Problems at home.
· Lives in neighborhood where a gang exists.
· Friends are gang members or "dressing down" of “sagging and bagging" in gang attire.
These items are characteristic of gang involvement. However, some people who join or associate with gangs do not dress in the traditional attire and do not exhibit conspicuous behavior to show gang involvement. Parents must be aware of the behavior and activities of their children. Continual monitoring of behavior and positive verbal communication between parents and young people is a must for gang membership prevention.
How do you deal with gangs?
· Be decisive, firm, and fair. Lenient treatment is viewed as weakness and they will take advantage of you.
· Intimidation will not work; it will most likely lead to confrontation. Lectures do not work either. Gang members are looking for respect.
· Giving any public or media attention to a gang only feeds their egos and escalates gang activity.
· It is bad news to negotiate with terrorist or criminals so don't do it with gangs or their members. All it does is give them more recognition and power.
· Remember the four “R’s” about graffiti: Read, Record, Report, Remove.
· Prevent conflict whenever possible and look for common ground.
What can parents do?
· Know your children's friends.
· Know about who and what influences your kids.
· Know what your children are doing at all times.
· Become involved with them and occupy their time.
· Strive for good communication between you and your youngsters.
· Again, spend time with them.
· Do not allow gang dress or attire.
· Do not allow hanging in the streets or mall.
· Be very suspicious of gang writing, graffiti, or tattoos.
· Encourage anti-gang attitudes at home.
· Learn about gangs and drugs.
· Participate in your child's education and find out what's happening at school.
· Get involved in community affairs.
· Set the example for your kids, they will do what you do.
· Believe in your young kids.
What are some parental strategies to combat gangs?
· More recreational and leisure-time activities for youngsters.
· A crackdown and tougher law enforcement against gang activities in the community.
· Stepped up effort to dry up the chief source of gang money and DRUGS.
· Increased parental supervision of children, their activities, and their friends.
· Collaborative efforts between police, community residents, and young people.
What are some community anti-gang strategies?
· Build methods of disseminating advice/information on dealing with gangs to youths and parents.
· Enact ordinances for school board, city, and state that make it a felony for gangs to recruit in school or intimidate youngsters to join a gang.
· Support initiatives that provide for a rich assortment of extracurricular programs for kids and the incentives for them to participate in them.
· Organize/support workshops on street gangs to be taught to parents, grandparents, and guardians of school-age children.
· Provide public seminars on “street gangs” throughout the year.
· Run media series on street gangs, stripping them of their mystique and exposing them for what they are.
· Encourage service clubs and church groups to sponsor a battery of community speak-outs during the year on street gangs, with the help of the police departments, courts, youth services agencies, correctional institutions, and schools.
· Organize a citizen patrol to patrol through their community and erase gang graffiti whenever it appears.
Law Enforcement Memorial
Work is in progress to build a memorial to the Officers in Sedgwick County that have been killed in the line of duty. The Law Enforcement Memorial Committee of Sedgwick County, INC, has been working on creating a memorial to these Officers and has made considerable progress. The memorial will be built on the southwest corner of Central and Main in front of the City building. Local artist Constance Ernatt created the design, for the memorial. It will be in the shape of a shield symbolizing the protection Law Enforcement Officers provide. Each fallen Officer will have his name and badge number engraved in a granite panel. The centerpiece will be a bronze statue of two lions representing courage, strength, and integrity. One lion watches over the fallen Officers wile the other guards the community.
All costs of the memorial are being paid through private donations to the Law Enforcement Memorial.