- Joined
- May 11, 2006
- Messages
- 8,028
- Purraise
- 22
From today's (10/30/06) Salem Evening News, one of the many reasons (there seem to be more and more each year) why I no longer enjoy Halloween in my city:
Police on the lookout for gang activity at Halloween
By Tom Dalton
Staff writer
SALEM - A law enforcement team that knows the players and street colors will be working undercover Halloween night looking for youth gangs who may be coming here to make trouble.
Tipped by sources about possible gang plans, Salem police say they are taking no chances. They have assembled an 18-member team of police from several area departments, as well as parole officers and state Department of Youth Services employees, to mingle with the tens of thousands of Halloween revelers expected here tomorrow night.
"We believe that North of Boston gangs may be looking to make Salem a focal point of gang activity this Halloween night," Salem police Chief Robert St. Pierre said after meeting Friday with law enforcement personnel from more than a dozen North Shore and Greater Boston communities.
The chief declined to provide specific details but said his department has been in contact with police officers specializing in gangs in Chelsea and Lynn and also with parole, prison and youth services sources.
St. Pierre, who has met with Mayor Kim Driscoll, said he does not want to frighten the public or keep crowds away but feels that his first responsibility is to public safety.
"We're not looking to panic anybody," the chief said, "but the situation is such that we feel we need to share this information with the community. ... In the post-9/11 era, we have to keep people informed."
Capt. Paul Tucker, who is overseeing the police operation Halloween night, said they are taking every step to make sure the city is safe. The nearly 200 personnel working Halloween night will be briefed and given information packets on the gangs. Photos of gang members and their police records will be available in the mobile command vehicle being used here for the first time.
The special law enforcement team will try to stop trouble before it starts, the chief said, by picking up gang members on outstanding warrants or for parole or curfew violations. They also will be monitoring undisclosed "hot spots."
Salem has not had gang problems at past Halloweens, police said. However, last year's celebration was marred by two stabbings, numerous fistfights and more than a dozen arrests. Most occurred after 10 p.m. as police started to clear the crowds.
Area gang activity has increased in recent weeks, police said. In particular, they have received information about youths in Lynn, Peabody and Chelsea.
"The information has definitely spiked," said Tucker, the head of detectives.
The gang threat is not from Salem youths, according to police.
"I think the biggest problem we face is going to be outside influences," Tucker said. "Some of what we are picking up is that gangs are coming here to cause some problems - they're going looking for trouble."
Despite the warnings, Tucker agreed with the chief that crowds should come to Salem on Halloween night and have fun. But he did offer a word of caution.
"Parents should think twice about having their children unsupervised downtown," he said. Asked why he would give that warning, Tucker said: "We're erring on the side of caution."
Note from Betsy: This is ridiculous - GANGS???!!!???!!! We are a small suburban town of about 40,000 residents, and until just recently, gangs were almost unheard of in our area. Just recently, there was an illegal immigrant roundup, and several were members of gangs like the Crips or worse.
So much for pleasant small-town living! By the way - they are estimating between 40-60,000 people will be coming into town tomorrow night for a whole two hours worth of wandering the downtown. Makes zero sense to me - we more than double our population and enlarge our law enforcement by 100 times over, just for a stupid TWO-HOUR PERIOD OF TIME?!?!?!
Arrrgghh. Is it any wonder I've become anti-Halloween. Bah-PUMPKIN!
Police on the lookout for gang activity at Halloween
By Tom Dalton
Staff writer
SALEM - A law enforcement team that knows the players and street colors will be working undercover Halloween night looking for youth gangs who may be coming here to make trouble.
Tipped by sources about possible gang plans, Salem police say they are taking no chances. They have assembled an 18-member team of police from several area departments, as well as parole officers and state Department of Youth Services employees, to mingle with the tens of thousands of Halloween revelers expected here tomorrow night.
"We believe that North of Boston gangs may be looking to make Salem a focal point of gang activity this Halloween night," Salem police Chief Robert St. Pierre said after meeting Friday with law enforcement personnel from more than a dozen North Shore and Greater Boston communities.
The chief declined to provide specific details but said his department has been in contact with police officers specializing in gangs in Chelsea and Lynn and also with parole, prison and youth services sources.
St. Pierre, who has met with Mayor Kim Driscoll, said he does not want to frighten the public or keep crowds away but feels that his first responsibility is to public safety.
"We're not looking to panic anybody," the chief said, "but the situation is such that we feel we need to share this information with the community. ... In the post-9/11 era, we have to keep people informed."
Capt. Paul Tucker, who is overseeing the police operation Halloween night, said they are taking every step to make sure the city is safe. The nearly 200 personnel working Halloween night will be briefed and given information packets on the gangs. Photos of gang members and their police records will be available in the mobile command vehicle being used here for the first time.
The special law enforcement team will try to stop trouble before it starts, the chief said, by picking up gang members on outstanding warrants or for parole or curfew violations. They also will be monitoring undisclosed "hot spots."
Salem has not had gang problems at past Halloweens, police said. However, last year's celebration was marred by two stabbings, numerous fistfights and more than a dozen arrests. Most occurred after 10 p.m. as police started to clear the crowds.
Area gang activity has increased in recent weeks, police said. In particular, they have received information about youths in Lynn, Peabody and Chelsea.
"The information has definitely spiked," said Tucker, the head of detectives.
The gang threat is not from Salem youths, according to police.
"I think the biggest problem we face is going to be outside influences," Tucker said. "Some of what we are picking up is that gangs are coming here to cause some problems - they're going looking for trouble."
Despite the warnings, Tucker agreed with the chief that crowds should come to Salem on Halloween night and have fun. But he did offer a word of caution.
"Parents should think twice about having their children unsupervised downtown," he said. Asked why he would give that warning, Tucker said: "We're erring on the side of caution."
Note from Betsy: This is ridiculous - GANGS???!!!???!!! We are a small suburban town of about 40,000 residents, and until just recently, gangs were almost unheard of in our area. Just recently, there was an illegal immigrant roundup, and several were members of gangs like the Crips or worse.
So much for pleasant small-town living! By the way - they are estimating between 40-60,000 people will be coming into town tomorrow night for a whole two hours worth of wandering the downtown. Makes zero sense to me - we more than double our population and enlarge our law enforcement by 100 times over, just for a stupid TWO-HOUR PERIOD OF TIME?!?!?!
Arrrgghh. Is it any wonder I've become anti-Halloween. Bah-PUMPKIN!