New Program Targets Gang Crime in Antelope Valley

LANCASTER â€”  City and law enforcement officials today will announce the formation of a multi-agency program aimed at reducing gang-related crimes in the Antelope Valley.

The $1.5-million Lancaster Gang Violence Suppression Program will be funded primarily by a grant from the state office of Criminal Justice Planning. The city of Lancaster will also contribute roughly $50,000 per year to the three-year program, said city spokeswoman Anne Aldrich.

The program, which will be administered by the city of Lancaster, will concentrate primarily on reducing violent crimes. It will coordinate the efforts of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Hard Core Gangs Unit of the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, the Specialized Gang Unit of the Los Angeles County Probation Department, the Antelope Valley Union High School District and the nonprofit United Community Action Network.

The focus of the program will be gang identification, prosecution and supervision in conjunction with counseling, redirection and education programs.

In 1997, 671 violent crimes were attributed to gangs in the Antelope Valley, an increase of 72% over the previous year, Aldrich said. Although the large increase was attributed in part to improved tracking of gang-related crimes, the actual numbers are on the rise, she said. More than 3,000 members affiliated with 92 gangs have been identified in the area, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

“This is really a big deal for the Antelope Valley,� Aldrich said. “Coordinating the efforts of all of the different agencies that have been working independently against gangs will make all of their efforts more effective.�

Victoria Pitkin, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, said the program will be modeled after several others currently in operation in Pasadena, Bellflower, Inglewood, Norwalk and other cities.

“It’s an effective strategy,� Pitkin said. “When you bring everyone to the table, you have a successful gang-suppression effort.�

Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts, Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti, Sheriff Sherman Block and other law enforcement officials are to attend a news conference this morning at 10 at Lancaster City Hall to announce the receipt of the first-year grant of $547,000 for the program.