Gang Prevention Initiatives

Gang activity is on the rise throughout the State of Florida and Brevard County is no exception. Although many may not see gang activity a significant problem here in Brevard County, we need to remain vigilant against all types of gang activity. We must prevent increasing gang violence that seems so prevalent in other parts of the State. It is imperative we recognize gang activity early, identify gang members, deter gangs from engaging in criminal activity, and prevent new gangs from forming in our community.

In 2006, we took a proactive approach to gang activity and assigned an agent as our Gang Specialist. We then provided him with the most up to date training available and tasked him with the responsibility of gathering intelligence and compiling information on all known gang members in Brevard County. This initiative has proven to be very successful with our agent becoming the central point of contact for all of law enforcement agencies within the County.

Next, we created the “Anti-Gang Partnership” that includes close to 60 members throughout the County. Our partners in this effort include all of the City Police Departments, the State Attorney’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Juvenile Detention Center, Crosswinds Youth Services, the FBI and representatives from the Military. Members of this partnership meet monthly at the Sheriff’s Office to share information, participate in discussions and develop strategies to combat gang activity and gang violence.

Also in 2006, we created an Inmate Work Program called “Graffiti Busters”.  This program uses jail inmates to work under the direct supervision of a Sheriff’s Office employee to clean and remove graffiti from our communities. Every Law Enforcement Officer in the County has access to the Program through the graffiti hotline number (633-0245). Officers and citizens alike can use this number to report unsightly graffiti any where in the County. Inmates are quickly dispatched from the jail to the location, with no-cost recycled county paint to remove and/or repaint the affected areas. Gangs frequently use graffiti to communicate with one another, establish territories and recruit new members. By quickly removing all graffiti, we are not only improving the beauty of our communities, we are preventing gang activity.

In early 2008, we initiated a new Violent Crime and Gang Prevention Task Force called “Operation Game Over”. The Board of Directors for this Task Force consists of Sheriff Jack Parker, State Attorney Norm Wolfinger, Melbourne Police Chief Don Carey, Palm Bay Police Chief Bill Berger, Cocoa Police Chief Mark Klayman, Titusville Police Chief Tony Bollinger and Danny Banks of FDLE. Sheriff Parker swore in Police Officers from around the county as deputy sheriffs, giving them countywide jurisdiction. Those police officers, along with several specially trained deputy sheriffs, highly skilled analysts, and support staff are all working together on this very special team. Their mission, remove the most violent criminals in our county and put them in Jail where they belong.

Fighting gang activity is going to be a challenge for Law Enforcement Officers across the Country in coming years. But rest assured, every Law Enforcement Agency in Brevard County is committed to preventing gang activity and gang violence and will take whatever steps are necessary to reduce that threat for the citizens of Brevard County.