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Interagency Gang Task Force Regionalization Approach Recognizing the need for a local approach to addressing gang violence, the IGTF created 9 regional teams based on geographical areas. The regional teams are comprised of representatives from law enforcement, prosecution, probation, parks, schools, community-based organizations, housing, parole, children and family services, youth authority, and faith communities. The purpose of the regional teams is to build collaboration among suppression, intervention, and prevention efforts so as to enhance the effectiveness of existing anti-gang programs and/or start new programs based on the needs of the region. The sharing of strategies and best practices has assisted in greater collaboration and information sharing among the entities that comprise the regional teams. In some instances, these regional teams introduced agencies to each other that, though all were involved in gang prevention, intervention, and suppression, had never collaborated together to address this problem. The regional teams began meeting together in January 2003. These meetings are generally held on a monthly basis (See Schedule of Regional Team Meetings). Gang Planning Authority The Gang Planning Authority (GPA) is the result of a conference held on May 5, 2003, with the Sheriff, LAPD, and the Chiefs of Police of the County’s independent law enforcement agencies. The goal is to combine law enforcement efforts in the County with respect to the suppression aspect of gang crime prevention. The GPA also serves as an oversight for the Suppression Task Forces that exist in each region. The GPA holds quarterly meetings to review the activities of the Suppression Task Forces, and also to review the implementation of the Los Angeles Regional Gang Information Network (LARGIN). Suppression Task Forces In an attempt to increase information sharing among law enforcement agencies, and emphasize the effectiveness of strategic planning, suppression task forces have been emphasized. Suppression Task Forces consist of representatives from each law enforcement agency within the region. Each Task Force may choose to include others in their meetings as well, such as individuals from the Probation Department, District Attorney’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, and Department of Children and Family Services. Some areas, such as the South Bay Gang Task Force (Region 7), the Southeast Gang Investigator’s Association (Region 5), and the Westside Gang Investigator’s Association (Region 8) already had Suppression Task Forces in place. In other areas, Suppression Task Forces were created and meet either before or after the regular regional team meetings. The advantage of these meetings is that they provide a forum for law enforcement in the region to discuss and exchange confidential criminal information, which in turn assists in the investigation and prevention of gang crime. These are matters that cannot be raised in the regular team regional meetings due to the presence of representatives from non-law enforcement agencies. Anti-Gang Violence Public Education Campaign 1. Develop an education and advertising campaign aimed at pre-school to second grade children. This program would include an anti-gang violence message through the use of cartoon characters in print and video, along with a classroom curriculum to emphasize and re-enforce that message. 2. Promote the Gang Resistance Education And Training (GREAT) program for third to seventh grade children throughout the County. GREAT is sponsored by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and is designed for 3rd or 4th and 6th or 7th grade students. 3. Promote and support the rollout of the Safe Schools Collaborative or similar programs in high schools throughout the County. This is a collaborative effort by the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission, Los Angeles City Human Relations Commission, schools, governmental organizations, community organizations, and other stakeholders interested in school safety. This was formed to assist in providing services that are needed to ensure that a school remains safe 4. Develop a general anti-gang violence campaign targeting adolescent and adult audiences by using traditional advertising methods (i.e., school posters, billboards, bus benches, and Public Service Announcements) 5. Develop a web-based resource guide 6. Develop and plan fundraising efforts to support the ongoing costs of the advertising campaign. The IGTF has formed a partnership with the Los Angeles County and Los Angeles City Human Relations Commissions in order to coordinate outreach efforts. As a result of a grant from the County’s Quality and Productivity Commission, the Public Education Subcommittee has been able to hire a grant writer/resource coordinator. This individual will assist IGTF in obtaining the funding needed to support full implementation of the Public Education Campaign. In addition to this, the grant writer will assist with the Human Relations Commission with its anti-hate campaign, which will be implemented in conjunction with the IGTF’s anti-gang violence message. All forms or files are provided in PDF (Portable Document
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