Tonight’s Raleigh East CAC meeting focused mainly on gangs and introducing my neighbors and I to Raleigh Police’s gang efforts. There was a middle presentation regarding new townhomes being built in our area by Wake Habitat for Humanity but I was more interested in the police information.
There were a few things that surprised me about the presentation, one of them being the geographical spread of gang activity around the city. I’m used to reporting graffiti around town but the idea that it isn’t really concentrated in one area was new to me. Also I was intrigued by the differing mindsets of the two groups presenting. A volunteer with the county stressed prevention and rescuing the gang “wannabes” before they sign up, while the police say there is no such thing as a “wannabe” and that even the young kids pretending to be members are almost surely on their way to being members. I assume that division is natural by the concentration the volunteer has “before the problem,” i.e. a crime gets committed, whereas police usually only get involved “after the problem.”
The projects on the other end of Glascock have the “worst of the worst” gang members. nice to know.
Another thing is gang attire. Its not just the casual wearing of colors, its the blatant stuff that matters. If someone’s dressed head-to-toe in colors, that’s a sure sign. The police want to talk to someone like that and welcome tips of that nature.
I’m told the Raleigh Flea Market nearby sells gang paraphernalia inside. This leads to confrontations. One neighbor who lives nearby reported that kids sometimes jump the fence from the flea market onto her property, seemingly in a hurry to leave. Made me wonder what one can legally do to stop certain clothes from being sold. Anything?
During the meeting’s crime report earlier in the meeting, some residents asked pointed questions about a certain strip club nearby. Much to the dismay of some, the police say the club is clean: it generates very few calls. I don’t mind the club because any action at a strip club will be going on inside. Ever seen anyone loiter outside a strip club? I didn’t think so. And drinking is not the prime focus of those who frequent such establishments. I’m far more concerned about the regular clubs nearby, like the recently-shuttered Zanzibar Club. those places are bound to cause trouble. Also, the cheap hotels nearby generate more calls than anything. I wouldn’t miss those at all. Different people have different perceptions, though.
Don’t get the wrong impression about the area, though. It’s not full of crime: its actually rather quiet where we are. I’ve just always been intrigued with crime and law enforcement efforts well before my stint as president of Garner Crimestoppers. Once crime is removed from the streets this area will really flourish. I look forward to that day.