Pubdate: Thu, 04 Mar 2004
Source: Gwinnett Daily Post, The (GA)
Copyright: 2004 Post-Citizen Media Inc.
Contact:  http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2480
Note: Letters can run as long as 400 words.
Author: Andria Simmons

GRAND JURORS TROUBLED WITH GANGS, DRUGS

LAWRENCEVILLE - In a prepared statement issued this week, the 2003 grand 
jury said Gwinnett appears to be losing the war on drugs and gangs.

After hearing more than 3,400 felony cases which reached Superior Court in 
2003, the grand jurors who adjourned in September 2003 became uniquely 
educated experts on crime in the county. Ordinary citizens heard 
presentations from the Gwinnett Police gang task

force and drug task force, and they saw the real impact of gangs and drugs 
as they decided whether men and women would face trials on related charges.

The grand jurors concluded in their presentments that in 918 of the 3,441 
felony cases in 2003, drugs were either the only charge or the most serious 
violation. The group suggested a grass-roots effort involving churches, 
scouting organizations, school clubs, homeowners associations and 
neighborhood watch programs might curb some of the problems.

Their surprise at the level of gang and drug activity registered in several 
comments in the presentments.

"The grand jury senses that the average adult citizen, busy working and 
raising a family, is likely to be unaware of the extent to which drugs and 
gangs have infiltrated Gwinnett County," the grand jury stated.

Law enforcement officials on Wednesday agreed they are fighting an uphill 
battle.

"I don't know if we're losing the war, but it's awfully tough," said Lt. 
Dennis Spradley of the Gwinnett Police drug task force. "We've almost hit 
almost off the chart in methamphetamine. Marijuana decreased a little bit 
in 2003, but we're starting to see a lot of it in 2004. I just don't what 
else law enforcement can do. When there is a demand and market for it, it 
doesn't matter if it's illegal goods or narcotics, it will be there."

Drug arrests rose from 381 in 2002 to 421 in 2003, according to Gwinnett 
Police records.

Spradley agrees that grass-roots efforts can help law enforcement tackle 
the issue. Education for children in schools and by their parents at home 
can also impact future generations of potential drug users, he added.

Cpl. Dan Huggins, spokesman for Gwinnett Police, offered another 
perspective. Huggins said a step-up in aggressive drug and gang enforcement 
at the department has increased the number of arrests. That increase in 
arrests makes it appear the problem is worsening, when in fact it is 
getting better.

"We have a lot of arrests because our gang task force concentrated on those 
type things," Huggins said. "That's a problem we are addressing and that's 
why arrests in that area are up."

A crime prevention program offered by Gwinnett Police goes into schools, 
businesses and homeowners associations with information to help combat the 
rise of criminal activity, Huggins said.

"We can't handle this problem all by ourselves, we need help from the 
community," he added. "Even if we increase patrol we are not there 24 hours 
a day. Those people can be our eyes and ears out there."

Investigator M.A. Silva of the Gwinnett Police gang task force frequently 
interacts with the public as he visits groups to talk

about metro gangs. With 15,000 gang members in 170 different gangs in the 
metro area, gangsters will inevitably infiltrate Gwinnett, Silva said.

"These kids are of numerous races, both male and female, between the ages 
of 10 to 20," Silva said. "A lot of times by the time our kids are hitting 
middle school is when sometimes gang members try to recruit them."

Silva said there is a direct correlation between gang activity and drug or 
criminal activity. He has never investigated a gang that was not involved 
in criminal acts.

"We also discover that over 70 percent of all drugs will go through the 
hands of street gang members," Silva said. "They are either dealing it or 
using it, or both."

The grand jury summed up the problem by stating the painfully obvious, 
Gwinnett's affluence attracts drug dealers. Drug dealers see the county as 
a bountiful hunting ground for their harmful trade; thus the reward is well 
worth the risk to many drug dealers, presentments stated.

"Despite the average citizen's general sense of security, there is not one 
area, neighborhood, or school in Gwinnett County that is immune to these 
problems," grand jurors wrote.

In other presentments:

* Grand jurors were concerned about the limited testing policy forced on 
the GBI State Crime Lab by budget constraints. Many crimes are not 
prosecuted simply because of the financial strain, such as in criminal 
cases where multiple illegal substances have been seized. The crime lab 
does not test all items submitted, instead standard practice is to perform 
testing on only one item per case.

The lab typically chooses to test whatever item is likely to result in the 
one most serious charge, presentments stated.

"Much good police work goes unrewarded, and criminal behavior is not 
punished to the fullest extent," grand jurors concluded.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom