Safe Silver Spring Suggest Ways to Prevent Gang Violence

The following are recommendations for the Third District police and Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) from Safe Silver Spring.

Safe Silver Spring's mission is to head-off crime in the community. The group is chaired by Tony Hausner, an Indian Springs neighborhood resident.

Sgt. Rob Musser from the County Police Gang Unit, Luis Cardona from the Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator and many more are scheduled to speak. The meeting is open to the community and starts at 7 p.m.

I think there has been an increase in gang violence in the Silver Spring area late at night in the past couple of years. I know of several violent events by gang members from outside the county, such as Prince George’s County and D.C.  The gang fight in early July was perhaps the most significant battle, but there have been others in Silver Spring.   

There was the murder of Tai Lam in 2009 by an MS13 gang member form outside the area. There was a major fight between outside gangs near the end of a Silver Spring concert.  There were outside members who significantly injured a man on veteran’s plaza.  

Here are some important statistics. Countywide between 2009 and 2010, there was a 12 percent increase in gang members from 1236 to 1381. Countywide, for the first 6 months of 2010 vs. 2011, there was a 25 percent increase in part I crimes by gang members (e.g., includes burglary and larceny) from 129 to 151, and a decrease in violent crimes from 32 to 30.

In the G1 sector of the 3rd district, which includes downtown Silver Spring and some nearby neighborhoods, in the past 12 months, juveniles committed 26 aggravated assaults and 65 robberies.  

For these reasons, we need to address gang problems countywide, and especially in Silver Spring.

Proposed strategies:

• Metropolitan Task Force : Since a number of violent acts committed by gangs who’s members are from throughout the metropolitan region and have come to Silver Spring, a metropolitan wide strategy is needed. The most critical component is to develop a metropolitan wide task force which includes law enforcement agencies, positive youth development programs, street outreach type programs, school system staff, community groups, and others.    All jurisdictions that are at least immediately adjacent to D. C. would be included in this task force. This task force will be a permanent long term program, which meets on a monthly basis and holds yearly summits to review state of the art literature, program performance, etc.  Safe Silver Spring will be glad to assist in such an effort.  Apply for federal and private funding.

• Truancy Reduction Programs: Develop a comprehensive program to achieve truancy reduction.  This should be a county-wide program at high school and middle school levels.  Serious consideration should be given to the truancy court program and other successful truancy reduction programs.  All potential partners should be invited to participate in such a program.  Safe Silver Spring will be glad to assist in such an effort.

• Positive Youth Development Programs: Expand the number of participants in such programs, especially among the more vulnerable populations.  Ensure a comprehensive evaluation of these programs. Consult with the Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) on these programs.  Safe Silver Spring will be glad to assist in such an effort.

• Silver Spring Teen Center: Make use of existing facilities to immediately implement teen center type programs in as concentrated set of facilities as possible.  Focus the programs on the at-risk populations.   For the long-term, evaluate the use of soon to be vacant county buildings and assess the financial capabilities of the county and additional sources of funding for such programs and capital needs.  Develop a comprehensive strategy for the use of such centers.  Consult with the YACs.    Consider making the teen center part of a center with other programs, e.g. day care for children, or seniors.  Safe Silver Spring will be glad to assist in such an effort.

• OLO (Office of Legislative Oversight) study: Request OLO to perform a comprehensive study of gangs, including evaluation of existing county programs, assessment of state of the art literature, consultations with outside experts, etc.  This study should evaluate the existing strategy, assess the proposals contained in this package, and that contained in the literature and from outside consultations.   The study should address the entire county but include a focus on Silver Spring given the recent serious gang violence that has occurred there with gangs from outside the county. 

• Create a Silver Spring Gang Task Force: The Wheaton area has a task force that includes all the major players, such as law enforcement, street outreach, youth development, school system, community groups, etc.  Develop a similar task force for the Silver Spring area. 

• Jobs Skills Programs: In this program, teens who are at risk would be paid to learn how to determine a career appropriate for them, get the training they would need for that career, get a job, and keep it.    Focus this program in the Long Branch area and nearby areas.

• Ask the Youth Advisory Councils to develop a gang reduction strategy.