SCSO

Gang Information

Parent's Handbook on Gangs
Gang Awareness Guide

Snohomish County has experienced a growing gang presence over the past several years. The gang problem is a countywide epidemic; not even our smallest rural communities are immune Few criminal activities can affect a community as deeply and rapidly as a criminal street gang. The apparently senseless violence, turf wars, drug dealing, and graffiti decrease our quality of life, perception of personal safety, and sense of community. The Sheriff’s Office takes this threat to our county very seriously. We have placed school resource officers in critical high school and middle school locations, and deployed our directed patrol unit to identify and suppress the most harmful gang members.

But we also know it’s not possible to arrest our way out of the gang problem. It requires community participation to rid our county of gangs. Gangs thrive in disorganized communities. A successful gang prevention, intervention and suppression response requires collaboration between all who are affected: citizens, businesses, schools, and government agencies. The Sheriff’s Office is working hard to organize a Gang Community Response Team to fight the gangs who want to harm our county. We must pool our expertise and resources if we expect to win this fight. Your help is needed!

If you need help or would like to report gang activity in your neighborhood, please call: 425-388-6666

To learn more about the Sheriff’s Gang Community Response Team and how you can participate, email ann.plunkett@snoco.org

Check out our web link to http://www.wevaluekids.org/gangs

Gang Prevention & Intervention Resources U.S. Department of Justice/ National Youth Gang Center

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Gangs

http://www.iir.com/nygc/acgp/faq.htm

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Best Practices to Address Community Gang Problems

http://www.iir.com/nygc/publications/gang-problems.pdf

Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee

Community-Based Gang Prevention & Intervention

GJJAC Policy Brief, January 2008