Friday, March 26, 2010

Report: Mecklenburg has most gangs

The state's annual gang report released this week shows Mecklenburg County has 160 gangs, the most of any North Carolina county.

Click here to read the report.

The second-highest county was Wake, with 97 gangs.

According to the Associated Press, the report "reflects a fuller picture of gang activity by relying more on hard data from police and prison officials."

AP reports the Governor's Crime Commission gave its annual gang report to a legislative panel on Thursday.

The report shows there are nearly 13,700 confirmed gang members and their associates, compared to 10,050 in last year's report.

- Doug Miller

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does it really matter if a gang member is legal or not???

Anonymous said...

That's funny, I'd love to see these wanna be thugs in a real city.

Anonymous said...

when gangstas 'tag' with grafitti, why do they write shit that nobody can read?

Anonymous said...

Nice to know the police spend more time watching and counting them than actually solving anything

Anonymous said...

WOW...Wake used to be the highest...I guess CLT is now number 1? Awesome!

Anonymous said...

Being in a gang is not illegal. It is the activities that they are involved in that are illegal. Yes they do spend a lot of time counting gang members, in order to keep track of them. This allows the Police department to solve crimes based on affiliations rather than blindly guessing who could have done something. The graffiti that people use, is understood by other gang members to how territory. It was not meant for everyone to understand.

Anonymous said...

Over 13,000? WTF?? Are they just going to keep counting them year after year to see if the numbers get any higher? (IF, that amount has any truth to it). So, if they have a count, then wouldn't that mean they at least have some idea of who these idiots are? I'm still trying to figure out why they are more concerned about the number of gang members instead of arresting them.

Anonymous said...

Being that Mecklenburg is by far the largest county in the state, it doesn't really come as a surprise.

If we'd just eliminate the failed drug prohibition, we'd cut off their funding and they'd go the way of Al Capone and his cohorts of the previous failed prohibition.

Larry said...

I volunteer in these inner-city communities.

And I admire the gangs in a small way. The provide safety, a family for a lot of guys and keep the other gangs away from their areas.

Until we realize if you live in these neighborhoods you have to learn to live with them, or you will have real problems.

I would love to write for the Observer and get some ideas out that will work to reclaim these neighborhoods. I will be happy to work for free Observer.

Larry 704-573-3363

Unknown said...

Of course we have the most gangs. Mecklenburg County is soft on crime.

Eric said...

Just because a handful of wanna tough guys name themselves doesn't make them a gang.

8:24 most times around here graffiti you cant read is not gang related but art. Do a lil research you will be able to find out what it means and says and how hard it was to do!

Anonymous said...

Being from the Southside of Chicago and also being a former mis-lead gang member in my youth, I am sickened by this report and how little the people know about gang life and to Larry who says he volunteer's in the inner city and kind of "admire's" the gangs. GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS!!!! THey don't protect the neighborhoods where they're at, they cause more trouble! Kids can't even go outside for fear of being shot by accident by gang members! Charlotte police need to expand their gang unit and rid the streets from the menace of gangs! It's not too late Charlotte but it will be in a few years if you let it go on!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm not surprised. With the revolving door policy of the courts here, most gangs would love to set up shop here. Every time I drive into Charlotte, I see people driving along flashing gang signs with their hands while driving. I just let them have the road as I don't want to get shot. I dread having my sister along as she will flip off anyone who cuts us off on the road. I might seem chicken, but I'd rather be a live chicken than a dead pit bull.

Anonymous said...

Not at all surprised. There was recently a meeting of the minds in Charlotte to discuss whether or not Charlotte had a gang problem. When I heard this I had to laugh. All you have to do is walk into a middle school or high school in Charlotte to see the influence of gangs. As a substitute teacher moving here from L.A. 7 years ago, I was shocked to see how little teachers and administrators knew about gang habits. I guess they've now had a crash course but I think denial is still the norm.

Anonymous said...

well folks load up your guns because i have and flip me a gang sign and i'll flip you a 45 for free no jails time for the little punks just hell time. they live on your fear. and thats all all jail is for them is school they learn more for it. so why should we good tax paying folks help them punks out .just fry them or hang them and let god take it from there.

Anonymous said...

i agrre with eric
theres no was there over 150 gangs in this city.
just that the cmpd thinks if you got tattos or wear a white t shirt you're a gang member. thats retarted

Anonymous said...

Hey 2:45 pm...what the hell are you trying to say?

Anonymous said...

We should treat this problem likew we do with a roach infestation, spray them with something until they die.

Anonymous said...

Damn Charlotte is leading in something!!!! Great!!!!! They lead in nothing else. Damn this is great news CO, way to go!!

Phillip Bonds said...

So let me make sure I get this straight. The most populous county in the state has the most gangs. And the second most populous county in the state has the second most number of gangs.

Great detective work there Deek Tracy.