SPD addresses concerns over Seattle gangs

A Seattle police commander admits that gang violence is on the rise.

“Seattle gang activity has changed over the past,” Lieutenant Marc Garth Green wrote on Reddit Wednesday. “We do not deal with the gangs of the ’80s or even the gangs of LA or New York. Our gangs are far more fluid in that membership or association can change at any given time and alliances are made and dropped instantly in some cases.”

“Over the past 3 years we have seen an uptick in gang involved violent crime,” he said. “There are several different factors in my opinion. Some revolve around recent case law that inhibits the search incident to arrest. This allows for more ready access to firearms and does not allow for that small time frame to de-escalate the situation. I believe that we can tamp down some of the violence through enforcement and intervention. The city just started a new intervention strategy (the comprehensive gang model) which is a great tool and shows early signs of promise by offering alternatives, training, jobs, education, and other resources to gang involved people.”

RELATED: Gangs and the recent rise in Western Washington gun violence

That is just one insight provided by Lt. Garth Green who oversees the robbery unit for the Seattle Police Department and is SPD’s gang unit commander. During a Reddit AMA (ask me anything), Lt. Garth Green fielded questions dealing with the city’s gang problems. Here are a few takeaways.

• Where are Seattle gangs most active?

The areas of the Central District and the Rainier Valley have a higher amount of activity at this time. This changes due to a number of different factors. The biggest thing a community member can do is to take a stand against violence and let it be known that they will not accept it. Becoming part of a community group that advocates and promotes safety like ‘Safe Passage’ and others is a great start. Get involved in your community. Report criminal behavior when you see it. It needs to be based on actions and not merely appearances.

• Are gangs from Seattle or are they coming into town from elsewhere?

We still have a portion of the gang members that live within the city limits. However, there are a lot of them that come from outside cities to do their business here.

• What are some signs that a youth is involved with a gang?

The biggest key would be the lack of involvement in activities that they usually like. The presence of new clothing tied to a specific color or sports team. An increased amount of graffiti in your neighborhood. Breaking of usual ties with friends and a new group of friends being at hand. These things individually usually just speak to normal adolescent life but coupled together with an increased disdain for authority (parents, school, etc.) could mean issues are at hand.

• Where do Seattle gangs get funding?

The gangs themselves do not benefit from source (sic) of income. The gang members will sell narcotics but it is to fund themselves. They don’t pay it back to the gang itself. Narcotics, Robbery, prostitution, and identity theft are the big ones.

• Why is crackdonalds the way it is?

It is not indicated where “crackdonalds” is, but a stretch of 3rd Avenue around Pine/Pike Street has developed a reputation and a Twitter account dedicated to the condition of the area. It has been called McStabby’s and Stab Alley.

This area has several different businesses that are open late or can be freely accessed. Criminals tend to use legitimate businesses to mask their activity by offering them a legal reason to be in an area. Also, there is a hub of transportation in that area to include light rail and buses that allow for easy access to and from the area.

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