[Archived] Mayor Kerry Donley Announces Actions Steps to Address Gang Issues


News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:	Wednesday, July 24, 1996
Contact:	Tom Brannan, Assistant City Manager, (703) 838-4300

Mayor Kerry Donley Announces Actions Steps to Address Gang Issues

Alexandria Mayor Kerry J. Donley today announced a series of Action
Steps by the City and the Alexandria City Public Schools to ensure the
safety of students in the City Schools and to address the problem of gangs
in the wake of the gang-related incident on July 3 that resulted in the
death of a 16-year-old Hispanic youth.

"We are taking a no-nonsense approach to the problem of gangs,"
said Mayor Donley. "Let the message go out that Alexandria has a "zero
tolerance" for gangs and that criminal gang activities will be prosecuted
to the fullest extent of the law. Gangs are not a part of our community
and they will not be part of our community."

"Our community currently offers many programs and services directed
at youth, but we are taking a second look at how well these programs and
services are reaching those youth who are most at risk for joining a gang.
We want to be sure that we are doing everything we can to discourage our
young people from getting involved with gangs," said the Mayor.

The seven Action Steps were developed in a meeting yesterday of
City and School officials, including Vice Mayor Redella S. Pepper and
School Board Chair Claire Eberwein, Vice Chair Henry Brooks and
representatives of City and School agencies responsible for youth
services.

The Action Steps outlined by Mayor Donley at a press conference
today at City Hall include:

o The Alexandria Police Department will redirect resources to establish a
visible Police presence for the first month of school at each of the
City's middle and secondary schools -- George Washington and Francis C.
Hammond Middle Schools, the Ninth Grade Center, and T.C. Williams High
School -- to ensure the safety of Alexandria students and to assist the
Schools in addressing safety concerns of parents, teachers, and school
administrators and staff.

Police Officers will be assigned to the middle and secondary schools
during the two periods of the school day that School and Police officials
have identified as the most critical to student safety -- at the beginning
and at the end of the school day.

In addition, the Police Chief and School Superintendent will review the
results of this pilot program in early October and will recommend to City
Council and the School Board whether or not this commitment of resources
is required throughout the school year.

Uniformed Police Officers will be assigned to George Washington Middle
School, Francis C. Hammond Middle School, and the Ninth Grade Center in
addition to the Police Officer who is currently on duty throughout the
school day at T.C. Williams High School.

o City and School officials will explore ways to introduce the Gang
Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) Program in the Elementary and
Middle Schools as a means to educate 7th and 8th grade students about the
dangers of gang involvement. The Alexandria Police Department will make a
presentation to the School Board on the GREAT Program so that the School
Board can determine how it can be integrated into the middle school
curriculum, and the City will pursue federal grants and other resources to
help in funding the 10-week program.

o The Schools and the Police Department will provide increased training on
gang awareness, crime prevention, and emergency response issues for middle
and secondary school teachers and administrators.

In addition, the Police Department will schedule a series of bi-lingual
workshops this fall throughout the community on "Gangs and Gang
Activities" for PTA leaders and parents of 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th,
and 12th grade students. This effort will use existing outreach resources
within the Departments of Human Services and Recreation, Parks, and
Cultural Activities to increase participation by parents of high risk
students.

o The existing City and Schools Staff Group will determine which gang
intervention programs have been successful in other communities in the
United States and schedule a community meeting on "Gang Intervention
Strategies" in the winter of 1996. The Staff Group will gather
information on what has worked for other communities and how Alexandria
can enhance its efforts to address gang activities.

o The City will continue to seek out year-round private sector employment
opportunities for youth, and explore ways to overcome obstacles faced by
Hispanic youth who want to enter the workforce. City departments, the
Schools, and outside agencies will be encouraged to make referrals to the
Youth Employment and English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs to assist
the City's Hispanic youth become productive and self-sufficient members of
the community.

o The City will focus its recruitment efforts to hire more Hispanics and
bilingual staff to work in the City's recreation centers, summer
playground programs, and after-school recreation center programs. o City
Council and the School Board will convene a joint work session this fall
after the first month of school to discuss implementation of these Action
Steps. The City and the Schools will distribute copies of the Action
Steps to all School principals, PTA presidents, Civic Association
presidents, and teacher organizations and encourage their involvement in
the work session..

At today's press conference, the Mayor reiterated his pledge that the
joint effort by the City and Schools to address the gang problem would be
a very public and open process, and he invited school and community
groups, including School principals, PTA presidents, parents, and
representatives of civic associations and teacher organizations, to
participate in a joint City Council-School Board work session this fall
after the first month of school to review the implementation of these
Action Steps.

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