Initiative aims to rein in gangs

A memorial for two teen girls, believed to be victims of gang violence, is seen in Brentwood, N.Y., in this Sept. 27, 2016, file photo.
A memorial for two teen girls, believed to be victims of gang violence, is seen in Brentwood, N.Y., in this Sept. 27, 2016, file photo.

The Pine Bluff Police Department and Jefferson County sheriff's office recently announced the formation of an anti-gang initiative to combat gang violence in the city.

The Gang Reduction Initiative of Pine Bluff (G.R.I.P.) will focus on anti-gang and violence-reduction strategies to improve the quality of life and make Pine Bluff a safer place to live, according to a news release.

Police Chief Kelvin Sergeant was appointed chairman and Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr. as vice chairman during a steering committee Zoom meeting Oct. 15. Deputy Chief Denise Richardson was appointed coordinator for G.R.I.P.

"Gangs and public attention to senseless violence resulting in several murders has been heightened," officials said in the release.

"In response to an increase in gang-related crimes and acknowledging that as a community arresting its way out of the gang problem isn't the answer, the Pine Bluff Police Department has launched an assessment and planning process from which a gang-reduction strategic plan is being established."

Officials will use the federal Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention's evidence-based Comprehensive Gang Model (CGM) to guide their efforts, according to the release.

"It is designed to significantly reduce the increase of gang crime and combat the uptick in violence in the community" according to the release.

"This initiative is a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach that navigates the entire criminal justice continuum. By adhering to this model and utilizing its strategies in developing the plan, stakeholders are better positioned to deal holistically with its gang issues and secure funding to implement the plan's programs."

After the planning process, the Pine Bluff Police Department will submit an application for funding to implement components of the plan.

G.R.I.P. has a three-prong approach involving prevention, intervention and suppression.

"With the implementation of the program, the city acknowledges the gang problem and understands it's not just a local law enforcement issue, but a community-wide endeavor aimed at fostering partnerships, community safety and reducing fear among residents," according to the release.

To get a handle on youths joining gangs and resorting to violence to solve problems, the Pine Bluff Police Department teamed up with the Jefferson County sheriff's office, 6th Division Circuit Court 11th Judicial District-West, 11th Judicial West prosecuting attorney's office, Southeast Arkansas Behavioral Healthcare, United Family Services, TOPPS, the Department of Human Services, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and Watson Chapel, Pine Bluff and Dollarway school districts.

"With the personnel assigned to address the suppression prong of G.R.I.P., we will deploy a variety of configurations to include, but not limited to, high-visibility patrols and other less-traditional covert means of apprehending violent criminals," Richardson said.

Richardson is a 26½-year veteran of the Police Department and oversees the department's Detective Bureau, Vice & Narcotics Unit, and Violent Crime Task Force.

"Previously, as law enforcement officials we did not divulge the names of individual gangs or its members who were involved in crimes because of a widely held perception that doing so elevated the criminals' influence and standing in the gang community," Richardson said.

"This is a strategy that has been abandoned, and new strategies challenge these menaces by exposing their corrosive behavior to the scrutiny of a more informed and confident community."

The juvenile court judge is among steering committee members.

"Sixth Division-Juvenile Court is excited to be a part of G.R.I.P. under the leadership of Chief Sergeant and Sheriff Woods," said Judge Earnest E. Brown Jr.

"Being a member of this steering committee is the first step in developing a comprehensive gang initiative focused on prevention, intervention and suppression."

Two out of every five gang members are under 18 years old, according to youth.gov.

The rate of youths under 18 in gangs is higher in smaller cities and rural communities where research shows that gang problems are less established in comparison to larger cities.

Investigations from task forces within the Pine Bluff Police Department and Jefferson County sheriff's office show various gangs within the city, including the Murder Gang, Murder MOB, and E.B.K. (Everybody Killer), according to the news release.

"In addition to achieving the overarching goals of the department, the Pine Bluff Police Department is steadfastly committed to reducing gang violence in Pine Bluff," Sergeant said.

"The gang initiatives that this committee will be working on reflect many of the dynamic and holistic strategies that are being developed and implemented by our agency to achieve a community free from gang violence," he added.

Per the most recent data from the National Gang Center, law enforcement agencies across the United States conclude that inter-gang conflict and drug-related factors contribute to gang-related violence the most along with the return of gang members from secure confinement plus intra-gang conflict.

"As part of the effort to fight back against gang violence, Jefferson County sheriff's office has and continues to make available any and all resources to assist in not only improving coordination among law enforcement agencies, but that could also strengthen ongoing investigations of Murder Gang, Murder MOB, and E.B.K.," Woods said.

"The epidemic of gang violence that is currently threatening our communities is absolutely unacceptable -- it is critical that we make clear that it will not be tolerated," Woods said.

"We all share a common interest and that is to improve public safety within our community," he added. "As such, we must all work together to fight these senseless acts of violence and I want each current, past or future gang member to know that we're working alongside Pine Bluff Police Department and other stakeholders in a full scale effort to eradicate this violence once and for all."

A steering committee for the initiative was developed including experienced local leaders.

In addition to Sergeant as chairman, Woods as vice chairman, and Brown Jr. as a member, the members are: Kyle Hunter, 11th Judicial West prosecuting attorney; Pine Bluff City Attorney Althea Hadden-Scott; Southeast Arkansas Behavioral Healthcare officials Kathy Harris and Bessie Lancelin, counseling provider members; Lekita Thomas of United Family Services, community-based provider member; Annette Dove of TOPPS, community agency member; Eric Hobbs and Anissa Ballew of the Department of Human Services; professor Shurunda Thrower of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, research entity member; Tiffany Copeland of the city of Pine Bluff, grant writer member; Pine Bluff/Dollarway School District Superintendent Barbara Warren; Watson Chapel School District Superintendent Jerry Guess; Eric Elders of Focus Academy; Southeast Arkansas College, partner; Kymara Seals, grass-roots member; New St. Hurricane Baptist Church pastor Derrick Easter, faith-based member; Pine Bluff First Assembly of God pastor Gary Bell, faith-based member; 11th Judicial West Division 1 Circuit Judge Alex Guynn; Jeannie Epperson of the Pine Bluff Housing Authority; Kelly Bryant; and Adult Probation and Parole representative Felicia Fisher.

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