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Preventing gang activity in Georgia

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  March 14, 2022 7:42pm EDT
Buckhead
FOX 5 Atlanta

How prevalent is gang activity in Buckhead?

During a meeting of one Atlanta City Councilwoman's public safety task force, a GBI agent said criminal street gangs were a focus of law enforcement agencies trying to reduce crime. There are multiple gang segments that law enforcement officials identify.

ATLANTA - The gang footprint in Atlanta and Georgia is larger and broader than people realize.

The head of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation reported that conclusion to city leaders from work being done by a state and local task force.

Ken Howard said among all 159 sheriffs leading county law enforcement, they cited gangs as the number one threat. 

Howard briefed the Buckhead public safety task force. The panel members also learned that gang members, primarily bosses, may be neighbors. 

"Kind of like the mafia don from the movies," Howard said, "gang members are in Buckhead driving the nicest cars".

Howard said gang supervisors deploy youth to commit crime to manipulate the criminal justice system. 

"They know the punishment will not be severe," Howard said. 

One way the GBI attempts to slow down the work gangs are doing is by linking a single act to an organization. 

Investigators try to source a weapon or car that may have been used in a crime. If they can link the item to a gang as a supplier, then charges can be multiplied under the Georgia gang statute.

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