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| Gang conference raises awareness |
| By Sarah Etter, News Reporter |
| Published: 09/25/2006 |
Chances are, if you haven't heard of MS-13, or the Mara Salvatrucha, gang you soon will. 
Established in El Salvador twelve years ago during a civil war, MS-13 is quickly gaining international recognition. Currently, many gang experts are concerned that MS-13 is migrating from El Salvador to Los Angeles and infiltrating countries and states in between. "MS-13 is certainly something that everyone is concerned about," says Ed Cohn, National Major Gang Task Force Executive Director. "They are a group with a philosophy of not caring whom they hurt or what they have to do to succeed in their mission." Gangs like MS-13 are becoming more organized and are spreading across the country, a trend the NMGTF hopes to curb by bringing more attention to the subject. "When we're watching South American gangs work their way into America's heartland, we need to learn their motives and their tactics. We need to watch out for the types of criminal activities they perpetrate. Gang activity may be recognizable on, say, the East Coast, but in the middle of America, we might not always realize what we�re dealing with right away," explains Indiana Department of Correction Commissioner, and NMGTF Executive Board Member, J. David Donahue. MS-13 was one of the hottest topics at the 12th Annual National Major Gang Task Force Conference, held in Indiana from September 11th to the 13th. The conference offered a bevy of information, training, and meetings for corrections officers, gang experts, and law enforcement officials. "As an organization, we try to stay on top of absolutely everything gang related," Cohn says. "We want to offer something to everyone. From the 15-year veteran to the rookie that's new to the team, we want to make sure we give them a chance to network and learn something new." The NMGTF, which began in 1993, is nationally recognized for promoting gang intervention and management strategies. This year, more than six hundred professionals attended the conference, which presented workshops on everything from gang identification to community gang prevention techniques. According to Donahue, this conference is a critical part of curtailing gang activity. "We really want to focus on breaking the cycle of gangs. If we have a chance to intercede and prevent gang activity, I hate to see it slip by. This is about enhancing public safety whether you are a corrections officer or a part of law enforcement. We need to look at what helps gangs survive. We need to coordinate information and share it among states. That's what this conference is all about," Donahue says. Information sharing is also important. Some corrections and law enforcement agencies don't always have the chance to work together toward a common goal, but by focusing on gangs, many officials find that their jobs are more similar than they thought. "In corrections, if we share information with law enforcement, we're doing a better job." Donahue says. "We really talked on a variety of fronts about how to enhance public safety and engage community awareness. We also focused on how to train local law enforcement on intelligence gathering, which is very important." Cohn says the conference was a hit, based on what he saw in the hallways. "The one thing I've noticed is that we're bringing together a very specialized group of people. Whether they work at a local, state, or national agency, they are people that take their responsibilities seriously. When these sessions get started, the hallways are deserted. Everyone stays in the session. Nobody is outside chatting on their phones or wandering the hallways. They have a passion for this and they want as much information as they can get," Cohn says. Initially, the task force was for law enforcement and corrections professionals, but Cohn says that many big players from local communities are now showing an interest in a topic that greatly affects their neighborhoods. "We're seeing a lot more military personnel, which is great. We're also seeing many more educators take a profound interest in this. That's a trend we'd love to see continue, because everyone in the community needs to see what a big problem this is. Everyone is touched by gang issues," Cohn says. "They exist in just about every community and school. This is a phenomenon that just reaches out and touches everyone at the same time." After this year's successful conference, the NMGTF is now gearing up for next year's conference in Reno, Nevada. "We're really excited about next year and encourage anyone with an interest or expertise in gangs to contact touch us," says Cohn. "We really want to make a difference and this conference is just one part of that." Bottom Line: Attending NMGTF conferences could put you one step ahead of gangs like MS-13 and help stop community crime before it happens. |
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