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Seminar on gangs draws 40 in Nyack

May

The “mini-riot” causedÂ by two street gangs fighting in Nyack on April 16 has had some positive results.

Nyack School District hierarchyÂ – ie Superintendent Valencia Douglas – has been talking to Orangetown Police Chief Kevin Nulty and his brass about gangs on the streets and in schools, along with other issues in Nyack. Clarkstown police cover the high school and elementary schools, and South Nyack-Grand ViewÂ police cover the middle school.

A Spring Valley gang came to Nyack after a girl’s red bandanna was yanked from her neck at Nyack High School. The girl’s boyfriend apparently was a gang leader in Spring Valley.

And the fighting got Nyack officials talking about recreation for young people – an issue thrown on the backburner in favor of strategies to promote tourism and finding parking in the village.

On Thursday night, the issue of criminal street gangs drew 40 adults and young people to the Nyack Center. They were shown by police experts how to identify gang signs andÂ signs children have gang ties, including dress, jewelry and speech. They include anger management and resolving conflicts.

Sheriff Detective James Behrens, a gangs expert assigned to the Rockland Intelligence Center. He demonstrated the difference between groups and gangs as the element of illegal activity. He showed how young people get involved in gangs for reasons of personal safety, caring, financial gain.

Audience members were told that children as young as 10 years old are recruited for gangs and gangsÂ exist in Rockland County.Â The Rockland gangs include the Bloods and the Crips, rivals, along with theÂ Latin Kings, or affiliates. There are the MS-13, an El Salvadoran gang, alogn with other ethic gangs.

James Williams, who is with Creative Response to Conflict, led parents and community members in a discusion of how we keep our children out of gangs.

One parent shared their own story of her son’s involvement in gangs, saying he was the one child she would never have picked to be involved in gangs. She called him a B student, well liked by everyone.

Williams talked about how her belief in her child was what made it possible for him to get out of the gang. Listening and connecting to our children is what we need to do, Williams said, adding, We can never give up on our children.”

Posted by Steve Lieberman on Saturday, May 31st, 2008 at 10:22 am |

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Nyack cops and schools meet about gangs

April

Orangetown Police Chief Kevin Nulty and Nyack schools Superintendent Valencia Douglas have met to discuss Wednesday’s gang-related incident at the high school that percipitated the mini-riot and gang fight in downtown Nyack.

Nulty and Orangetown Detective Lt. James Brown described the meeting at Orangetown Police Headquarters as productive. They said Douglas was opened to discussing the issues and what the school district could do on its end to assist. Nulty said the Rockland Intelligence Center gang unit detectives also took part in the discussions.

“This was productive and I think both sides are willing to work together and try and solve the problem,” Brown said. “The problems will not be solved by just the police. We need the support of the school and the community. ”

In the past, Nyack and other school districts have been reluctant, with the notable exception of North Rockland school district, to acknowledge problems or issues with street gangs. At the same time, school districts, including Nyack, have dress code policies banning gang wear, like bandannas, beads, and all one-color outfits.

As a follow up, Nyack officials met with community leaders, schools officials and police on Monday night to prepare an agenda for a public meeting in two weeks on expanding youth programs, recreation activities and increasing police presence – much of which is geared toward diluting the influence of gangs and improve the quality of life for residents.

A mini-riot erupted Wednesday along Franklin Street between gang members from Spring Valley and Nyack. The young men were armed with bats, an axe and knives. Two people were stabbed and five people arrested as police from several departments chased 40to 50 young people across Franklin Street and up some nearby streets.

The fights occurred when Spring Valley street gang members came to Nyack to seek retribution against a young man associated with a Nyack street gang who ripped a girl’s red bandanna from her neck at Nyack High School, police said. The girl called her boyfriend, a purported Blood street gang member who lived in Spring Valley. The red bandanna apparently represented a street gang, possibly the Bloods. The girl accosted was associated with members of the Spring Valley group, police said.

Police were still investigating and looking for the people who stabbed the two young people. Nulty said a gang fight of such magnitude like on Wednesday are not common in Nyack and was caused by the outside influences. Still, Nulty said the problem with gangs must be confronted by the police, the village, the community and the schools.

One issue is that three police departments cover Nyack schools. Clarkstown police are responsible for the high school and South Nyack-Grand View police cover the Middle School. Orangetown police cover Nyack streets. Nulty said the three police departments will work together and develop a plan. Nulty said his department doesn’t have jurisdiction over the high school so he encouraged Douglas to work with the Clarkstown police and its school resource officers.

“I think it’s clear we have an issue of gangs to some degree in downtown Nyack,” Nulty said. “They are young and more than likely some of them attend the high school.”

Posted by Steve Lieberman on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 3:18 pm |