No COLORS: 100 Ways To Stop Gangs From Taking Away Our Communities

"No community wants to admit it has a gang problem. Yet that denial and the unwillingness to address youth violence as a community problem will have tragic consequences."

Strategic Plan to Reduce Young Adult Violence and Gangs in Newport News, Virginia: P.I.E.R. Strategy

ENFORCEMENT

The City of Newport News has a rich history of professional law enforcement services provided through a high level of commitment of all those who have served in the past and currently are serving within law enforcement/justice related services. During the last several years the Newport News Police Department has dismantled several violent gangs within the community. Their efforts should be recognized and applauded because these investigations took years in the making. During the same period of time the Newport News Sheriff’s Office has expanded its role within the community to include preventing crime, and addressing a number of critical public safety issues.  In addition, the Commonwealth’s Attorney has reached out and created a special initiative to prosecute gang related crime by assigning a full time Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney to the issue.  While all of these actions are to be applauded, it would appear that the public safety approach within the city of Newport News is fragmented and in need of consensus building between serving agencies.  Enforcement could provide the hardest strategy to design within the plan due to the nature and the expectations of the agencies involved.  The following are recommendations that have come from the leadership of the various public safety agencies within the City. 

Recommendation 1

Establishment of a City Wide Public Safety Committee

During the meeting of the Enforcement Operational Council, it became evident that leaders within the various public safety organization within the city believed that there needed to be a way for the various agencies to connect their various roles in an overall effort to move in the same direction.  It is recommended that a city- wide public safety committee be formed with the following agencies involved: Police department, Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Probation and Parole Officers, Juvenile Court Services, Codes and Compliance, Emergency Management, and schools.  In addition, it is a goal that possibly a sitting judge could be appointed to serve on the committee.  The purpose of this committee would be to meet on a monthly basis to establish a direction on public safety programming and initiatives.  This would include the sharing of needed and applicable intelligence data on crimes and concerns of public safety within the community. There needs to be better coordination of various crime prevention and enforcement efforts conducted by each agency. There are also issues of concerns and gaps in services within City-wide public safety and possible available resources and funding issues.  It is recommended that a possible chair for this committee would be our current Commonwealth Attorney, Howard Gwynn.   

Recommendation 2

Enhanced Prevention and Community Justice

Newport News has a long history of being a leader in the area of law enforcement and crime prevention.  In the past the City has been selected for a number of local, state, and national awards for its emphasis on prevention through public safety.  Newport News is most noted for its work in the 1980’s and early 1990’s in the area of community policing and was actually the birthplace for problem oriented policing which became a national benchmark in public safety in America.  The Enforcement Operations Council recommended that the City embrace a community policing and a justice model.  It is understood that while public safety resources are dependent on the level of crime and disorder within the community, the Council itself felt that the community needed to return to a community justice model.  Based on recommendations from the Enforcement Operations Council, citizen input, and current activity within the community, it is recommended that a joint strategy be adopted to formulate a community wide justice model that would have at its core the objectives of prevention, intervention, enforcement, and reentry.  This model would serve the community and have the greatest impact if it were to be adopted by all of the public safety agencies within Newport News.

Enhanced Public Safety of High Crime in at Risk Neighborhoods through Directed Patrols, Walking Patrols, and Bike Patrols

  1. Directed Patrols

Current crime data should be available to develop and plan more law enforcement visibility within the areas that are experiencing heightened public safety issues.  This visibility should include joint efforts from the Police Department and Sheriff’s Office to assist in the issue of directed patrols to the most needed communities.  This could include the use of on duty and off-duty personnel to be assigned to the most needed neighborhoods.  

  1. Walking Patrols

 Law enforcement personnel should be conducting door to door community meet and greet programs to ensure that citizens within high crime areas feel safe and supported.  While mobility is certainly an issue in law enforcement, the City is in need of specific walking patrols and higher visibility within at risk communities. 

  1. Bike Patrols

One aspect of public safety mobility can be met in the city’s highest crime areas through the enhanced use of bike patrols.  Currently the Police Department has assigned personnel to bike patrol duty within the community.  It is recommended that the use of those patrol tactics be expanded with an emphasis on the summer months.  To meet current resource issues, it is also recommended that sheriff’s office personnel and possible over time for off duty officers be considered.  It is recommended with the adoption of the P.I.E.R. Strategy that enhanced bike patrols would be assigned to work out of each neighborhood P.I.E.R. Center beginning with South Morrison immediately. 

Recommendation 3

Enhanced Crime Prevention through Youth Public Safety Education

Historically Newport News has been a leader in crime prevention through youth education across the state and nation.  During the last decade the community has moved in a different direction and has not appeared to make youth education through public safety a priority. It is recommended that active and retired law enforcement personnel become involved in a kindergarten through high school youth education crime prevention efforts.  While a number of research studies have been conducted to substantiate the effectiveness of public safety education programs, the one area consistently rated in a positive light by youth, their parents, and community stake holders is the positive relationship developed when the law enforcement within a community embraces the youth population prior to necessary enforcement activity.  To enhance the ability to deploy necessary resources into law enforcement youth education programs, it is recommended that a joint partnership be developed on youth prevention between the police department and sheriff’s office.  This would include the possible use of recently retired law enforcement personnel within the community to assist in the program. 

D.A.R.E.

The Newport News D.A.R.E. program during the 1980’s was recognized as a leader in the state and nation.  This program was extremely positive for the city of Newport News as indicated by the selection of Bill Roth, a former Newport News D.A.R.E. officer as the first citizen of the year for the Peninsula by the Daily Press.  This award did not happen by mistake.  Officer Roth and those who worked in the City’s D.A.R.E. program became a recognized prevention force within the community.  This educational program led to community carnivals, a successful Run Against Drugs, and a number of national awards from the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration.  While the D.A.R.E. program is still operating successfully in neighboring York County, Newport News at some point, decided to drop the program.  D.A.R.E. focuses on early decision making for grades K-5.  It is recommended that the community to include the city and schools who once shared a joint financial partnership to sponsor the D.A.R.E. program engage in an effort to revive the program in Newport News for grades K-5.  To assist in resource issues within the community, a joint partnership should be formed between the police department and sheriff’s office to achieve this goal.  For more information on D.A.R.E. please visit http://www.dare.com/home/default.asp.

Gang, Reduction, Education, and Training Program (G.R.E.A.T.)

Recent information from crime data and law enforcement intelligence would indicate that within the City of Newport News we are experiencing an increase in young teenagers who are selecting and becoming involved in the gang lifestyle.  This appears to be happening during the age group that could be most impacted within the community’s middle school program.  Currently, the United States Department of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Assistance is supporting the Gang, Reduction Education and Training program that provides a comprehensive prevention strategy for early teens across America.  We are recommending, as part of an overall public safety prevention model, that Newport News include the City and school division look to provide G.R.E.A.T. for middle school students, grades 6-8.  Funding may be available to start and expand this program from the Department of Justice, a federal agency that is currently looking to place G.R.E.A.T. in more communities across America.  To meet the demand for resources to conduct this program, it is recommended that the police department and sheriff’s office should work together to meet this goal.  For more information on the G.R.E.A.T. program please visit http://www.great-online.org/.

Class Action/Virginia Rules

Newport News was the birthplace for a statewide youth law education program that eventually expanded into 100 school districts across Virginia. While others have embraced this program, the City has appeared to use it sporadically in several grades within the public schools. The program which began as Class Action has now evolved into an online effort called Virginia Rules.  It is currently being directed at the state level by the office of the Attorney General and all material and online training is free of charge.  It is recommended that a partnership be formed between the police department and sheriff’s office to ensure that Class Action/Virginia Rules is being offered in the City’s high schools, grades 9-12.  This program enhances decision making skills among youth by providing them with information on the law in Virginia and its consequences. For more information on Class Action/Virginia Rules, please visit

http://www.virginiarules.com/about/class-action.

Recommendation 4

Establishment of a Police Athletic League

The National Police Athletic League has always been recognized as an anchor for providing positive relationships between youth and law enforcement in communities.  In the United States, the Police Athletic League has served over 1.5 million young people through over 80,000 volunteers that include coaches and chaperones from law enforcement agencies and the communities they represent.  PAL activities include archery, baseball, basketball, bowling, boxing, flag football, golf, track, and tennis as well as programs in music, dance, drama, and art.  A number or localities in Virginia currently have successful Police Athletic Leagues.  We are recommending that the city through a joint partnership between the Parks and Recreation Department, the Police Department, and sheriff’s office partner establish a Police Athletic League in the most at risk communities in Newport News.  The first PAL program and a possibility for the central location for operations should be considered for the new South Morrison P.I.E.R. center with additional sites to be established in the future.  In addition, it is recommended that the newly formed Police Athletic League work with community partners such as the Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, and faith-based organizations to establish PAL as a citywide program.  It is recommended that a partnership be established between the police department and sheriff’s office to establish necessary resources to operate the PAL program within the city.  For more information on how to start a chapter please visit, http://www.nationalpal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=17.

Recommendation 5

Establishment of a Community Prosecution Program

The City of Newport News is served by a dedicated Commonwealth’s Attorney who is becoming a leader in community justice efforts.  During the early stages of the Mayor’s Task Force, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Howard Gwynn, voiced his support for moving his office into a Community Prosecution model.  Community Prosecution is a recognized national effort through the National District Attorneys Association and involves a proactive partnership among the prosecutor’s office, law enforcement, the community, and public and private organizations.  Within this partnership the Prosecutor’s Office focuses its mission on solving community problems and improving public safety and enhancing the quality of life for citizens within the community.  Around the country, prosecutors are taking on new responsibilities by working out of neighborhood offices, collaborating with community groups and other government agencies, and developing community problem solving initiatives.  Rather than simply having a goal of cases won or sentences imposed, community prosecution measures the work through neighborhood quality of life, community attitudes, and crime.  Effective Community Prosecution programs are housed in a number of communities across America including: Boston, Massachusetts, and Virginia Beach, Virginia.  It is recommended that the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office within Newport News be provided partnership and support from the city and local partners to establish a Community Prosecution program in Newport News.  Within the framework of this program, it is recommended that a satellite presence of the Commonwealth’s Attorney office be established within the P.I.E.R. Centers in selected neighborhoods.  In addition, it is recommended that the first office on Community Prosecution be included in the South Morrison P.I.E.R. Center as part of Phase I of the city’s development effort of the building.  For more information on Community Prosecution visit www.ndaa.org.

Recommendation 6

Enhanced Shared Law Enforcement Intelligence

Within the city of Newport News there are number of government agencies that operate within the community on a daily basis.  Each of these organizations—including the Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, the Office of Probation and Parole, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Codes and Compliance, and the Newport News Public Schools—need to partner to enhance crime intelligence with an emphasis on gang activity within neighborhoods.  The dispersal of this important information among justice agencies would enhance the level of public safety service by all of those who serve the citizens of Newport News.  Violent crime and gang related data should be disseminated and discussed as part of the mission of each of the agencies involved.  While it is recognized that some of this intelligence may be sensitive in nature, it is understood that sharing information is in the best interest of public safety.  As part of this recommendation each of the serving public safety organizations within the city should look to partner on data collection, intelligence, for designated areas of the community that are at risk of high crime of violence. 

Recommendation 7

Enhanced Public Safety Messaging

The quality of life of any community can be strongly supported by positive messaging of law enforcement agencies that serve to protect the quality of life of the citizens.  It is recommended that justice serving agencies within the city of Newport News to include the Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department, and Commonwealth’s Attorney, Codes and Compliance and the Newport News Public Schools work together to develop a positive public safety message to the community.  This should include the use of the City/School channel, local media outlets, social networking opportunities, as well as printed materials.  In addition, the public safety organizations should work together to establish or enhance a texting program focused on reporting gang activity and violent crime.  This ability should be enhanced with the use of anonymous interaction with public safety agencies to include a central web based reporting system. Newport News, like many communities, is faced with an element of the no snitching policy within the community.  The above recommendations will seek to establish more of a community outreach in an effort to ensure safety or citizens who would report gangs and violence within the City.  

Recommendation 8

Enhanced Use of Virginia Criminal Gang Statutes

Virginia has some of the toughest gang related laws on the books in the United States.  These laws were implemented to help communities across the Commonwealth arrest and prosecute individuals who are fully invested in the gang lifestyle within their communities.  The laws while appearing complex in their application, are now being successfully used in communities across Virginia.  It is recommended that the Police Department and Commonwealth Attorney’s Office work together to establish the enhancement of prosecuting individuals under Virginia gang statutes.  With the recommendations within this strategy of improving data and intelligence sharing the use of these statutes may become easier to navigate. 

Recommended Action Steps for Enforcement

  1. Establishment of a City-wide Public Safety Committee
  2. Enhanced Prevention and Community Justice
  3. Enhanced Crime Prevention through Youth Public Safety Education
  4. Establishment of a Police Athletic League (PAL)
  5. Establishment of a Community Prosecution Program
  6. Enhanced Shared Law Enforcement Intelligence
  7. Enhanced Public Safety Messaging
  8. Enhanced use of Virginia Criminal Gang Statutes
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