Yesterday evening Boone County State’s Attorney Michelle Courier hosted a Gang Awareness Forum in Belvidere. The panel was made up of law enforcement officials, village mayors and presidents, and other community and county officials. The focus was in informing attendees, about 40 interested county residents and visitors, of the known gangs, how to identify if a gang is present in our neighborhood to include graffiti, gang colors & signs, hand signs, clothes etc. Gangs use the drug trade as their main source of revenue and while not manufactured in Boone County they are imported and redistributed here.
Richard Harris, an ex-gang member, who during his nine year incarceration in a Wisconsin Correctional Facility broke away from the gang and started a new life that informed the group that small towns and rural areas, such as Boone County, are susceptible to gang infiltration. A gang leader comes into an area and because he is not known, especially in the smaller communities, he may try to recruit youths of the community as young as 10 years of age.
What can the county/communities do? Awareness and active community involvement are key. Acknowledge the problem, provide awareness programs, provide job training, have a gang intervention unit, supply aggressive police/security action are a few options. What can you do? Get Involved! Be Pro-Active! Ask Questions! Call officials when you see something suspicious! It is our community and we all have to do our part to keep it safe and secure.
Michelle Courier will be hosting a similar forum on November 18th at 6pm. This forum is open to the public.
Submitted by Bonnie Marron