Gang Prevention - City of Longmont

What is a Gang?

A gang is any organization of three or more people whose primary activity is committing crimes, and who identify themselves with a common name, sign, symbol or color.

Socially speaking, gangs are a misguided form of self-help that in turn victimizes others. In other words, young people who are sad, angry and lonely form a bond with others like them and wind up hurting themselves and loved ones even more. They go in seeking identity, power and respect but end up with only more pain.

Dangers of Gangs

Joining a gang exposes our young people to violence, crime, early and excessive drug and alcohol use, risky sexual behavior, higher chances of dropping out of school, starting a criminal record, difficulty in acquiring job skills and employment, imprisonment and death. Gang life means living in constant fear of being attacked by rival gangs or turned on by your own gang.

Often the innocent loved ones of a gang member wind up getting hurt or killed by violence. Gang members also live in constant fear of being “snitched on” by people they know and arrested for their crimes. Those who survive gang life, whether in prison or on the streets, often live lives of shame for the pain they’ve caused themselves and others.

“But he’s not really in a gang…”

Some youth think that they can dress like gang members, hang out with them, party with them or even commit small crimes with them but not run into danger. The truth is, a “wanna-be” gang member IS a gang member in the eyes of many in the community. Rival gangs, police, teachers, parents and employers will likely mistrust a youth as if they were in a gang, even if they haven’t been jumped in (officially initiated into a gang). Just associating with a gang can be as dangerous as being fully in one.

The good news? We can help!

Longmont parents and community partners can help kids stay out of gangs AND get out if they’re already in. Read on to learn how…

How can I tell if my loved one is in a gang or is close to joining one?

Consider this puzzle when starting a conversation with the young person you’re concerned about.

A jigsaw puzzle has a word or phrase on each of its 9 piece: behavior, drug use, peer pressure, symbols, interest in school, appearance, nickname, weapons and injuries, and $+goods.

The Puzzle of Gang Involvement

Ask yourself these questions about your child:

Behavior: Are they showing signs of secrecy? Being confrontational or disrespectful? Have they lost interest in pro-social activities that they once enjoyed?
Interest in School: Are their grades are dropping? Have you noticed an increase in absences?
Peer Pressure: Have they been spending time with a new friend group or constantly getting in trouble with the same group of friends?
Symbols: Are they throwing up hand signs in pictures or marking clothing, school materials or their body with symbols you don’t recognize?
Drug Use: Are they experimenting with illegal substances, or have they recently become interested in topics regarding drugs and/or alcohol?
Appearance: Has their style changed drastically and are they and their friends often dressing in one specific color?
Nickname: Are they using a nickname different from the one they grew up with?
Weapons/Injuries: Have you come across a knife, gun or any other weapon in their belongings? Have you noticed bruises or other unexplained injuries?
Money/Goods: Do they suddenly have clothing or expensive goods that they should not have been able to afford?

Why on earth would anyone join a gang?

Though some youth join gangs simply for excitement, most join because there is something missing from their lives. These are the same things all of us want: belonging, respect, identity, culture, a sense of purpose, an opportunity to “climb ranks,” control over our lives, connection to our neighborhood, recognition, praise and belonging to something greater than ourselves!
If we adults can’t provide youth with these opportunities, gangs will.

What can I do as a parent?

What parents can do:	Why?
Set expectations and follow through with consequences.	Despite what they say, kids want rules and boundaries.
Show respect and trust.	Constant scolding and criticism will drive them out of the house.
Get to know your kid’s friend group	Don’t assume someone else’s mom will keep them safe.
Listen to their needs.	Don’t assume their childhood is the same as yours.
Talk openly about gang issues	“Don’t ever let me catch you…” will only shut the conversation down.
Follow through when you make a promise.	If they can’t count on you, someone else will “have their back.”
Talk about future goals.	Youth without hope for the future will often join gangs.
Offer opportunities to learn and achieve mastery.	If they’re not great students, what else can they feel successful in?
Empower and praise your youth.	Give them responsibility, let them know they’re needed and help them feel proud of their contributions.
Celebrate their strengths.	Everyone has a gift –find theirs and help them shine.
Take the dangers of gangs seriously – even in Longmont.	Don’t assume your kids are safe because they aren’t in the “real gangs” of LA, Chicago or Denver.
Ask for help if they’ve already started making bad choices.	The Youth Center, the Police Department and Longmont schools can help them leave gang life safely.

Reach out for help

Gangs are a community problem, and many people in Longmont are working to provide a community solution. Parents doing everything right still risk losing a child to gangs. Please reach out for support.

Getting out and staying out

Getting out of a gang you’ve joined can be extremely difficult, but it’s not impossible!
Believe that you can get out of a gang – envision your future without it
Begin replacing gang activities with alternatives
Find new support systems and new sets of friends
Modify your speech, wear different clothes and cover up or remove gang tattoos
Help other youth dissatisfied with gang life to get out too

Community agencies who care and can help

City of Longmont Gang Response and Intervention Program members:

Citlalli Vazquez Gomez, 303-774-3760
Hernan Perez, 303-774-3710
Ben Ready, 303-774-4533

City of Longmont Resources

Police Services Division, 303-651-8555
Longmont Youth Center (Division of Children, Youth & Families), 303-651-8580
Counseling and mental health support, community problem solving (including gang intervention and support for youth in the legal system), early childhood education, parenting classes, and youth development (after school, summer and food programs; college prep…)
Community & Neighborhood Resources, 303-651-8444
Housing retention, mediation services, and many other services.
Graffiti Reporting and Removal Services (GEAR), 303-774-4327

Longmont Community / Boulder County Resources

In an emergency, please dial 911
Safe2Tell Colorado, 877-542-7233 (Anonymously report anything that concerns or threatens you, your friends, your family or your community. Offers phone, app and online reporting options.)
St. Vrain Valley Schools Student Services, 303-776-6200
Mental Health Partners, 303-443-8500 (Mental health services in the Boulder County area)
Mental Health Crisis and Support Line, dial 988 (Resource for mental health, substance use, or emotional crisis help – Text TALK to 38255)
El Comité, 303-651-6125

Additional Resources

Talks

TEDxMileHigh – Gerardo Lopez “I was an MS-13 gang member. Here’s how I got out.”

Movies/ Videos

Books

The American Street Gang by Malcolm Klein
Monster, An Autobiography of a Gang Member by Kody Scott
Gangs in America by C Ronald Huff
Life in the Gang: Family, Friends and Violence by Scott H. Decker and Barrick van Winkle
8 Ball Chicks by Gini Sikes
Do or Die by Leon Bing
Gangsta in the House by Mike Knox

National Organizations

National Gang Center