Help with gang activity!

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Edgeofthewoods

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Jul 3, 2004
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Edgewood, New Mexico Territory
Well the gangs have moved in to our little town of 1500 people. For a couple of weeks my oldest boy has been harrased at his high school. At first we could not get anymore from him other than it is just school trouble. After the grilling session I found out it is a gang called EBK that is new to this part of NM. He got in trouble with them because of, 1. He stood up to a member. 2. He refused to join their gang.
Yesterday he and a friend of his rode there bikes to the local park/skate park like they have done every Saturday for years. 3 members of that gang, "jumped" them.The thugs where armed with a long knife, a pipe and of all things a meat tenderizer. My son and his friend actually listened to me and did the right thing they ran. They ran down to the water company and the man there would not let them take shelter. (I will deal with him on Monday.) If it was not for a couple of good citizens my son and his friend could have been injured of even killed. Now I filed a report with the Santa Fe County sheriff's dept , and the NM State Police. These folk try real hard but NM is a large state and Santa Fe County is a large county. There are only 3 deputies in the southern part of the county and 2 NMSP . Our county is about 100 miles long by 30 wide. The young officer that responded to my 911 was a good cop. I hope more are like him. But I will not tolerate my children being harmed or threatened by anyone. He has started training with his grandfather. He teaches a form of Kung Fu, I believe is Gundegow. but we all know that takes years. What steps can I take to keep him safe? He is a smart kid and a good kid, but this is the middle of rural NM and no kid should go through this. I can't really defend him legally, since most of these b@stards are under 18, but when it comes to my family ....well our bets are off. Any advice from LEO's or any one at all would be appreciated.

Chuck.
 
If they call themselves EBK (EveryBody Killer) they're supposedly a branch of the Crips. If they're wannabes then they may be even more dangerous because they may be trying to prove themselves. I'd check and see if there's a gang task force in your area (it might be on a state rather than a county level) and give them whatever intel that you can. Otherwise, it may suck, but your best bet is to have your son avoid them as much as possible although that's difficult to do in a small town.

In a town of 1500, it shouldn't be difficult to get the word out and have others bring some pressure to bear. The "NIMBY attitude" is a powerful tool, if you can get some participation from the other parents in your school. Individual action against gangs almost always fails, and they count on this. Having the community against them makes it a lot harder for them. Direct action against minors is always fraught with legal perils, so be sure you have solid legal grounds before you get into a physical confrontation. Check the laws in your state to see what your son can legally carry for defense, maybe pepper spray or something similar. I know it's not perfect, but it may be better than nothing. A cell phone wouldn't hurt either.

Good luck to you and your son.
 
First, if you are with him when he is threatened with violence then you can respond in kind. I'm not an expert at NM law (or law anywhere) but a father defending his child is not something I can see any legal system on this earth punishing.

Some practical advice, these "gangers" are in all liklihood just local toughguys and petty juvinelie deliquents acting out an MTV fueled fantasy. It is highly unlikly that they are anything like the gang members you would find in the major urban inner-cities. That means they won't be as "hardcore," which is good for you.

That said, a punk with a knife is a punk with a knife. Your son should stay in groups, stay in public areas, avoid wearing anything that could be called "colors," and try to avoid provoking them. Run away, tell an adult(s), and you might consider getting him a prepaid cellphone.

When I taught summer school in Pontiac (which has about as much gang activity as nearby Detroit) the kids were all told by their "Big Mamas" to stay in groups, run away, and seek shelter. Recommended safe havens were Big Mama's house, corner grocerys, and churches.

Seems your average punk gangmember didn't want to mess with Big Mama (because these older african-american women knew everyone in the neighborhood and would tell the punk's mother), or the corner grocery (because they were armed, and they were where the shopped), nor did they want to mess with a church... Lots of reasons for that, but I must say, the number of preachers that were retired military always suprised me.
 
Thanks. Brian has a cell phone, (He works at a furniture store to pay for it.), I am driving to his school tomorrow, and then to Santa Fe to try to meet with the NMSP Gang unit. Edgewood is a good town, Also it is very religious A huge LDS congregation, Baptists, Methodist and yup a large Umm Alternative religion group that is very kid friendly and also VERY pro gun. Looks like I got a new mission here.
Thanks again for your advice.
Chuck
 
I am not an LEO but am part of a gang crime reduction team. This is from the school's part.

1. Who are these kids? Contact the school who will have the dean's office or PSA (if they are ditching to cause mischeif) or counselor or if you have it PO/GIO contact the parents. Further, you should also make an attempt to contact these kid's parents. If you can do this in your town, go right to their house. The "gangster" will turn into a little kid who was "just playing". Chances are his parent will be the kind of role model who will give the butt kicking that you should not. They also may not care. that leads to step 2

2. contact the police. you've already done that, good. now there's a report of names and activity and moniker - right?

---

if these two steps fail, and only if you're willing to take this step - i can be rough, and lead to egging / rocking of your house etc - you can print out flyers describing the gang activity, the gang members, and what they did to your son. avoid any mention of "supposed" things, only describe what actually happened to your son.

distribute and attend neighborhood watch, pta, etc.

oh, and if the idiot at the water company doesn't apologize, include his actions too. maybe your neighborhood can work out a system of safe houses. and maybe you can introduce more of your neighbors to the range...
 
Honestly, I think all of the above suggestions are good, but ineffective.

TCB

FEAR is your ally. Use it.

(Legal disclaimer. Non of the above suggest any type of aggressive action against punk a** little sh** heels) YMMV, but kid gloves won't work. FEAR will.

Let them know you do not fear them. Let them know your response will be something they can't even imagine in their little minds. Look them in the eye, and watch them pee their pants. Most will. If they don't.... it could be on...
 
Don't forget the preachers.

The pulpit is a formidable ally, especially in a small town.

You are absolutely correct to take prudent action, to nip the problem in the bud.
 
A thought

...

ETW, having no kids, I have never run across your situation, but where I live, there are many various Gangs, and one can get caught in the rivalry, between them being at the wrong place at the wrong time, thus, my new pistols and ongoing training.

The one thing I would do, bar-none, if I was in your shoes, would make sure that my kid/s had the latest cell phone, with a GPS program within the phone.

Along with a speed-dial for your work, home, cell, and 911, all pre set and practiced by your son, to a fine game plan, along with the GPS feature, to send out, asap, so you can act yourself, and call PD and advise them as to your sons location, exact GPS coordinates. Of all the time-saving measures one can have and use, GPS is it.

Price-(less) for your sons well being, is worth the investment.

Some of the best ones also come with a one-on-on radio talk system (walkie-talkie), and carry some 20 miles, faster than a phone call, or if phones (company) are down for any reason.

I would think such a phone could be programed to do exactly that, with one or 2 pushes of a button, to make to fast calls, to you, and the PD. That way, your son, if trouble is coming, and no way out, could hit the phone, then leave it on, in his pocket, not letting the gang know he's done this, and hopefully, thru your sons and your intelligence and game plan, worked out, he could talk to them, not confront them, but agree to think about joining up, etc., (a stalling tactic) just play it smart, to buy time so you and the PD can act..

As in flying, it's quick comms. Who are you? Where are you" What do you want to do/or need? This type of communications, short, to-the-point, never left me, and remains.


Good luck, you have my best,



LS
 
If a small town cant band together and kick the butts of (not literally) the punks and their parents then it is unlike any small town I've ever herad of. Get the word out at the school, the pulpit, and any hangouts. Make sure every adult in that town knows the problem and help them to believe that they are not powerless. The school had better have someone with some brains and backbones that wont just suspend students for problems. Anymore that can be tough to find so I say make it public when some weenie wont lend a hand to the common good (like the water company dude).
 
I wish I could offer you some advice other than what's been written above. I can't relate to your situation (have no children) but I can empathize.


I do want to offer one point to consider. I like that your child is studying martial arts. However, I think running is still better when dealing with gang-types. If they don't have them now, it won't be long before these guys have firearms. Martial arts isn't going to help much there.

I'm not trying to take us down a road discussing the effectiveness or merits of martial arts. I, myself, have a black belt, and years of experiece in full contact kickboxing. I'll also be the first to tell you that I'd really not prefer to have to use all those nifty disarming techniques against these guys. Sometimes they get lucky-- and you get dead. I prefer to think of martial arts training as the very lowest form of self-defense-- the one you have when you have nothing else. Its one more blade in your swiss-army knife.


They ran down to the water company and the man there would not let them take shelter. (I will deal with him on Monday.)
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I *REALLY* want to hear how THIS turns out. In my mind, this is one of the primary reasons gangs are allowed to flourish. People don't want to get "involved." News flash-- If there are any gangs in your area, you are ALREADY involved. I own a building front on my city's Main Street. I can't even FATHOM the idea that I would close my doors to ANYONE who ran into my office seeking help or shelter from someone trying to do them harm. Because of the nature of my business and the fact that I am the owner, I keep protection in my office anytime I am there. Anyone seeking shelter would find it.

I would really like to hear this person's reasoning. Please keep us informed.


Also-- As a public service, I would contact the local media outlets. There are a lot of people that are too busy to keep up with events. Your town should highlight this going on. Enough outrage and standing up to them could kill the bush before it blooms. I imagine a lot of cities in the US wish they could have met the gangs as they were forming.


John
 
Charles Bronson.

150px-Death_Wish_4.jpg


Citizens need to take matters into their own hands. Get people to get together and take on this problem as a group/ community. It's your home.
 
Tough situations. Sounds to me like this could be a rallying cry to get some of the more active members in the community to get their CCW's. From my experince your sons best weapons is going to be a good head on his shoulders which sounds like he has.
 
Get the administrator from the school involved ASAP. When I was a H.S. principal, I had legal authority to discipline students 24/7, 365 days per year any where in the world. No, I'm not joking.

It's due to the fact that they are enrolled in the school, and their actions are a reflection on the school. The reason for the school administrator's involvement is simple...hurry the timeline of police involvement, and to bring pressure to bare for a quicker rather than later prosecution of these punks.

At minimum, get the punks expelled so your child and the others can be safe at school.
 
You are in a tough situation, but it sounds like you're doing all the right things to stop/slow this whole situation.

Being in a town with a fair amount of gang activity myself, i've learned one or two things. The gangs HERE (small city of 20,000 or so) are pretty much lower teen to twenty-somethings with the maturity level of a 3-year old (and that is giving them the benefit of the doubt), and they are not near as tough as they think they are. For the most part they carry magic markers and spray paint to tag territory, mostly bathrooms, which I think is quite appropriate. That does not make them less dangerous, but maybe a lot more predictable.

Make sure you teach your son anything he needs to know to defend himself, because it sounds like he's a good kid that can end up in big time hurt if he doesn't take any self-defense measures. BUT - should it come down to fight rather than flight, then your son will have "marked" one of the gangers, and as a result, he will be targeted for retribution, and good money will bet that the retribution will be quick and harsh. A much better but less likely scenario would be that since he stood up to them and didn't take any sh** from them, he will earn their respect and will be left alone from then on. Possible, but not likely.

Good luck and watch your back, and remeber that if it comes down to defending you and yours, even if the offending person is a juvenile, you DO HAVE the right to defend yourself and to "stop the active threat".
 
Isn't television great. If you don't raise you kids the TV will and what you get are lil knife toting thug gansta wannabees.
 
Get the administrator from the school involved ASAP. When I was a H.S. principal, I had legal authority to discipline students 24/7, 365 days per year any where in the world.
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It all depends on where you live. My son-in-laws mom is a middle school principle who is in a cast with a broken collar bone while trying to intervene in a fight with two girls on school property.

Modern schools with the treat of lawsuits from loser parents who's kids need a crack over the head with a 2x4 will sue at the drop of a hat if their precious thugs are touched.

Don't make the mistake of treating these thugs as kids. Anyone who carries a weapon of any kind for violent acts on another is no kid.

Setting up a bunch of safe houses is the wrong way to go. It shows you have already given in to the violence of these thugs.

Grab the ball and make it a total offensive issue and don't let up till these thugs are gone. Don't put to much hope in the parents, school district, church's or police.

A group of good kids parents confronting these thugs can make quite an impression.
 
A group of good kids parents confronting these thugs can make quite an impression.
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Yeah, but that's the sort of action you want to take without mentioning it on the Internet.

At this point, I'd do what you can within the system (which isn't as effective as some other small-town solutions, but there you go.)
 
one more thing.

school officials are damn near powerless UNLESS parents get involved. it is actually FAR easier for parents to get things done that school teachers or administrators.

once they work together though a lot can get done. basically parents cover the butts of the admins and the admins back up the parents.
 
In a town that small it shouldn't be hard to put enough pressure on the parents to fix what they should never have let happened.
 
File the police reports, school reports, etc. to establish the paper trail. Can you get a restraining order? Make sure your son understands the difference between defending himself and escalation. Inform their parents without elaboration that if anything happens to your son you intend to hold them personally responsible and let the parents make their own interpretation of your meaning.
 
You can simply call a community meeting. I have done it when I was an administrator, and let me tell you, when you have the support of the entire K-12 district (commmunity) there are few things you cannot achieve. Use persuasive communication, driving concern along the lines of their core values, and show them that what you are calling for is in line with what they too want for their family. Remember...weakest link in the chain. Best of luck. Please follow up and let us know what happens.

By the way, this happened in my home town of 900 back in the arly 1980s. These punks put our home town police officer in the hospital because he asked them to clean up the parking lot before they left. There were nearly 30 of them agaisnt 1, single officer.

That got the community's attention. Hell-fire and brimestone fell on these punks. The ones who could be identified were prosecuted. The gang was disbanded by the state, county and local police.
 
Are the gangsters local kids or rejects from Albuquerque who are trying to expand their territory?

If the latter, then I would think that you have quite an uphill struggle. If the former then possibly you can use community pressure and the administration of the schools. Even then it will be difficult. Edgewood is one of those towns where many of the residents are trying to escape the city, so I imagine that it might be difficult to mobilize the locals against this threat.
 
It sounds like your son is in a lot of danger, probably more than you realize.

He's been identified by the gang as a gang type, otherwise they wouldn't be trying to jump him in.

He's been identified by the water company guy as a gang type, otherwise he would have given him shelter. A lot of robberies start with with a false plea for help, and that may have been what the guy was afraid of. Examine your son's appearance. If you didn't know him, would you let him in late at night?

Don't put too much faith in your community or your local curches. Tookie Williams' mother was heavily involved in her church. I grew up in small towns, and most of their citizens are too involved in their own gossip or just watching tv to do anything useful. I hope your small town is different, but if I were you, I wouldn't bet my son's life on it.

My advice to you, both as a parent of a teenager in gang territory and as someone who grew up in small towns with bad kids, is to get your son out of that environment as quick as possible. If you can't move, you should at least take him out of that school. Once he's out of that environment, pay close attention to his appearance and behavior so the same thing doesn't happen again.

One final note: Grandfather teaching him kung foo is a great idea. The kung foo won't do him much good (he is outnumbered, after all, and the other kids have weapons), but the time spent with his grandfather will be priceless.
 
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