OFF THE WIRE
A Sydney man with links to the Comancheros bikie gang is the latest addition to the NSW Police Force's Most Wanted list.
Hakan Ayik, 31, who is also known as Hakan Avik and Joseph Ayuk, is wanted following the issuing of three arrest warrants for charges relating to the supply of a large quantity of heroin in Sydney.
Investigations uncovered a multi-million dollar crime syndicate with more than 28kg of heroin seized as a result of Operation Hoffman.
The heroin had an estimated potential street value of $32 million.
The warrants were issued for Ayik's arrest for alleged offences relating to the seizure as well as the supply of a further 174kg of the drug allegedly imported into the country with a potential street value of close to $200 million.
Ayik left Australia in February 2010 and arrived in Korea in July that year.
"He was arrested in Cyprus in late 2010 and was granted bail however, his whereabouts have been unknown since," Detective Sergeant Gary Lowe said.
Police are now urging anyone who knows his whereabouts, or has any information, to come forward.
Ayik is described as being of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance, 175cm to 180cm tall, of solid and muscular build, with an olive complexion, brown eyes and black hair.
Detectives are also reminding the public that any person who may know of Mr Ayik's whereabouts, or who may be involved in helping him avoid authorities, could face charges of hindering a police investigation.
Operation Hoffman, comprising officers from NSW Police, Australian Federal Police and the Australian Crime Commission, was established in 2009 to investigate drug importation and money laundering.
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, with all information being treated in the strictest confidence.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8367401/sydney-man-on-most-wanted-list
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Should Illinois require helmets for kids on motorcycles?
OFF THE WIRE
Associated Press
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111030/news/710309882/
Should Illinois require helmets for kids on motorcycles?
Peter Lenz, center, died in 2010 at age 13 after falling off his bike and getting run over by another motorcycle at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There are no laws that ban children from riding on motorcycles, and only certain states require the use of helmets.
Likewise, parents could face a $75 fine if they don’t secure their child in a properly fitting car safety seat.
Advertisement But allowing an 8-year-old to ride on a motorcycle going 45 mph without a helmet? Perfectly legal in Illinois.
Two recent crashes have put the issue in the forefront.
A 9-year-old girl was thrown from a motorcycle Aug. 27 in Ingleside when another vehicle hit the bike her father was driving. She wore a helmet, but her father did not and died.
A Sept. 10 collision in Gurnee injured a 7-year-old boy who was a passenger on a motorcycle driven by his mother. The boy, who was wearing a helmet, landed underneath another car.
Children’s advocacy groups say requiring helmets for minors or going to the extent of prohibiting kids from riding on motorcycles will save lives.
But what may seem like a simple safety issue isn’t.
Motorcyclist rights’ organizations argue that it’s a matter for parents to decide and the government has no business interfering in family decisions.
“No. 1, it’s not the government’s place to tell anyone what to wear,” said Greg Smith, public relations coordinator for the DuPage/Kane chapter of ABATE, or A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education.
Such schisms contributed to the quick demise of legislation in 2010 and in past years aiming to mandate helmets.
“Some people don’t understand the vulnerability of children or don’t care,” said Janette Fennell, president of KidsAndCars.org, a nonprofit child-safety organization.
Secretary of State Jesse White intends to take up the fight again, a spokesman said.
“It’s common sense,” White press secretary Dave Druker said. “When someone makes a decision to use a motorcycle, they’re making that decision for themselves. (But) children don’t have any say. They should have every defense that they can.”
Nationwide, 187 children (ages 17 and younger) who were passengers on motorcycles died in crashes between 2000 and 2009, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows.
In Illinois, 613 children (ages 17 and younger) were injured while passengers on motorcycles involved in crashes in 2009, according to the most recent NHTSA statistics.
Children can emerge unscathed from car crashes, said pediatrician Elizabeth Powell, an emergency medicine physician at Children’s Memorial Hospital.
That’s not the case with motorcycles.
“The ones I’ve managed have been very significantly injured,” she said. “With motorcycle cases, there doesn’t tend to be a no-injury group.”
Most children just aren’t ready for motorcycles, explained Powell, who also works on injury prevention with the Elk Grove Village-based American Academy of Pediatrics.
“Developmentally, they’re not capable of holding on,” she said.
As for mandating helmets — it should be essential, Powell said.
“Head injury is clearly one of the most frequent results from motorcycle collisions and falls,” she said.
However, only 20 states and Washington, D.C., require all motorcycle riders to wear helmets, according to Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a coalition of safety, health, insurance and consumer groups. Twenty-seven states have laws mandating helmet use for younger riders, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports.
Three states — Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire — have no helmet laws.
Whose life is it? Some existing helmet laws are endangered species.
In 2010, attempts were made to repeal helmet laws in nine states, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety vice president Henry Jasny said. This occurred despite the fact “deaths go up when you repeal your helmet law,” he said.
The group’s officials were not aware of any states banning children from riding on motorcycles, despite one recent well-publicized fatality involving Peter Lenz, a 13-year-old rider from Washington state killed during a youth circuit event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in March.
For riders such as Smith of Batavia, it’s a question of personal freedom.
“It’s the right of parents to regulate what their children have to wear. If they feel their child should wear a helmet, then the child should wear a helmet,” he said.
“The parents, if they are responsible, will do the responsible thing.
“I wear a helmet at all times and a reflective vest. But it’s my choice to do that, no matter if I’m riding in 90 degree weather or it’s 40 below,” Smith said.
Fellow motorcyclist Earl Hobbs of Rolling Meadows disagrees.
“I’d totally support the helmet law if they put one in,” said Hobbs, a member and former safety officer for Gold Wing Road Riders Association, a motorcycling enthusiasts group.
“When kids are on a bike, a helmet is the only protection a kid’s got for their head. Broken bones can be fixed, but not heads.”
A wipeout on Lake Shore Drive in 1977 made longtime motorcyclist state Sen. Donne Trotter a helmet proponent. He says his helmet saved his life.
“When you’re on a motorcycle and you hit something — you’re shot out like a missile,” Trotter said. “And the head of the missile is your head, and the chance of you having a head injury is just astronomical.”
Trotter has used his battered, bloody helmet as a visual aid when he’s unsuccessfully tried to push through legislation — most recently in 2010.
“Any excuse people make up — they make up to fight this,” said Trotter, a Chicago Democrat.
The anti-helmet lobby is extremely powerful, with riders donating both money and time to campaigns for political supporters.
In Illinois, ABATE political action committees have contributed more than $207,000 to state lawmakers.
Despite that history, White’s office intends to spearhead another helmet law attempt in early 2012.
“We’re going to give it the old college try,” Druker said.
Sen. Chris Lauzen, an Aurora Republican, said wearing helmets on motorcycles is the safest way to go, but he voted against the helmet bill Trotter sponsored in 2010.
“The question is — is that a decision for the government to make or for the rider to make?” he said. “State government has done such a poor job in areas where it’s directly responsible for the outcome — namely balancing the budget. There’s all these other areas where we put our fingers into people’s lives where it really isn’t essential.”
But in Lorrie Walker’s view, it’s up to lawmakers to help parents make the right decisions.
She is technical adviser for Safe Kids USA, a nonprofit group aimed at preventing childhood injuries.
“There are restrictions on rides at Disney World — why do something less for motorcycles?” Walker said.
“Sometimes parents need guidance. If there’s no law, they assume it’s safe.”
Associated Press
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111030/news/710309882/
Should Illinois require helmets for kids on motorcycles?
Peter Lenz, center, died in 2010 at age 13 after falling off his bike and getting run over by another motorcycle at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There are no laws that ban children from riding on motorcycles, and only certain states require the use of helmets.
Likewise, parents could face a $75 fine if they don’t secure their child in a properly fitting car safety seat.
Advertisement But allowing an 8-year-old to ride on a motorcycle going 45 mph without a helmet? Perfectly legal in Illinois.
Two recent crashes have put the issue in the forefront.
A 9-year-old girl was thrown from a motorcycle Aug. 27 in Ingleside when another vehicle hit the bike her father was driving. She wore a helmet, but her father did not and died.
A Sept. 10 collision in Gurnee injured a 7-year-old boy who was a passenger on a motorcycle driven by his mother. The boy, who was wearing a helmet, landed underneath another car.
Children’s advocacy groups say requiring helmets for minors or going to the extent of prohibiting kids from riding on motorcycles will save lives.
But what may seem like a simple safety issue isn’t.
Motorcyclist rights’ organizations argue that it’s a matter for parents to decide and the government has no business interfering in family decisions.
“No. 1, it’s not the government’s place to tell anyone what to wear,” said Greg Smith, public relations coordinator for the DuPage/Kane chapter of ABATE, or A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education.
Such schisms contributed to the quick demise of legislation in 2010 and in past years aiming to mandate helmets.
“Some people don’t understand the vulnerability of children or don’t care,” said Janette Fennell, president of KidsAndCars.org, a nonprofit child-safety organization.
Secretary of State Jesse White intends to take up the fight again, a spokesman said.
“It’s common sense,” White press secretary Dave Druker said. “When someone makes a decision to use a motorcycle, they’re making that decision for themselves. (But) children don’t have any say. They should have every defense that they can.”
Nationwide, 187 children (ages 17 and younger) who were passengers on motorcycles died in crashes between 2000 and 2009, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows.
In Illinois, 613 children (ages 17 and younger) were injured while passengers on motorcycles involved in crashes in 2009, according to the most recent NHTSA statistics.
Children can emerge unscathed from car crashes, said pediatrician Elizabeth Powell, an emergency medicine physician at Children’s Memorial Hospital.
That’s not the case with motorcycles.
“The ones I’ve managed have been very significantly injured,” she said. “With motorcycle cases, there doesn’t tend to be a no-injury group.”
Most children just aren’t ready for motorcycles, explained Powell, who also works on injury prevention with the Elk Grove Village-based American Academy of Pediatrics.
“Developmentally, they’re not capable of holding on,” she said.
As for mandating helmets — it should be essential, Powell said.
“Head injury is clearly one of the most frequent results from motorcycle collisions and falls,” she said.
However, only 20 states and Washington, D.C., require all motorcycle riders to wear helmets, according to Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a coalition of safety, health, insurance and consumer groups. Twenty-seven states have laws mandating helmet use for younger riders, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports.
Three states — Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire — have no helmet laws.
Whose life is it? Some existing helmet laws are endangered species.
In 2010, attempts were made to repeal helmet laws in nine states, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety vice president Henry Jasny said. This occurred despite the fact “deaths go up when you repeal your helmet law,” he said.
The group’s officials were not aware of any states banning children from riding on motorcycles, despite one recent well-publicized fatality involving Peter Lenz, a 13-year-old rider from Washington state killed during a youth circuit event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in March.
For riders such as Smith of Batavia, it’s a question of personal freedom.
“It’s the right of parents to regulate what their children have to wear. If they feel their child should wear a helmet, then the child should wear a helmet,” he said.
“The parents, if they are responsible, will do the responsible thing.
“I wear a helmet at all times and a reflective vest. But it’s my choice to do that, no matter if I’m riding in 90 degree weather or it’s 40 below,” Smith said.
Fellow motorcyclist Earl Hobbs of Rolling Meadows disagrees.
“I’d totally support the helmet law if they put one in,” said Hobbs, a member and former safety officer for Gold Wing Road Riders Association, a motorcycling enthusiasts group.
“When kids are on a bike, a helmet is the only protection a kid’s got for their head. Broken bones can be fixed, but not heads.”
A wipeout on Lake Shore Drive in 1977 made longtime motorcyclist state Sen. Donne Trotter a helmet proponent. He says his helmet saved his life.
“When you’re on a motorcycle and you hit something — you’re shot out like a missile,” Trotter said. “And the head of the missile is your head, and the chance of you having a head injury is just astronomical.”
Trotter has used his battered, bloody helmet as a visual aid when he’s unsuccessfully tried to push through legislation — most recently in 2010.
“Any excuse people make up — they make up to fight this,” said Trotter, a Chicago Democrat.
The anti-helmet lobby is extremely powerful, with riders donating both money and time to campaigns for political supporters.
In Illinois, ABATE political action committees have contributed more than $207,000 to state lawmakers.
Despite that history, White’s office intends to spearhead another helmet law attempt in early 2012.
“We’re going to give it the old college try,” Druker said.
Sen. Chris Lauzen, an Aurora Republican, said wearing helmets on motorcycles is the safest way to go, but he voted against the helmet bill Trotter sponsored in 2010.
“The question is — is that a decision for the government to make or for the rider to make?” he said. “State government has done such a poor job in areas where it’s directly responsible for the outcome — namely balancing the budget. There’s all these other areas where we put our fingers into people’s lives where it really isn’t essential.”
But in Lorrie Walker’s view, it’s up to lawmakers to help parents make the right decisions.
She is technical adviser for Safe Kids USA, a nonprofit group aimed at preventing childhood injuries.
“There are restrictions on rides at Disney World — why do something less for motorcycles?” Walker said.
“Sometimes parents need guidance. If there’s no law, they assume it’s safe.”
MICHIGAN - Motorcycle Helmet Law Passes Michigan House Committee
OFF THE WIRE
Motorcycle Helmet Law Passes Michigan House Committee
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2011/10/28/222036.htm
Motorcycle Helmet Law Passes Michigan House Committee
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2011/10/28/222036.htm
Pennsylvania Bans Texting While Driving
OFF THE WIRE
Ron Lieback 11/10/2011
Motorcycle Safety
How many times have you witnessed drivers texting behind the wheel, not paying attention to anything on the road?
Texting while driving has become a major issue over the past few years, and many accidents are attributed to it on a daily basis.
But as this issue continues diverting driver's attention from the roads, more and more states are placing a legal ban on texting while driving.
And the lastest is Pennsylvania, which became the 35th state to ban texting while driving. The potentially lifesaving bill was signed into law Wednesday by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that the new law makes texting behind the wheel a primary offense, meaning that police can pull over motorists for that violation alone.
The law will go into affect in April 2012, and the fine is set at $50, the GHSA reports.
Upon hearing the news about a state to ban texting earlier this year, North Dakota, the American Motorcycle Association responded.
Peter terHorst (AMA Spokesman) says: "The American Motorcyclist Association is encouraged by the number of states taking action to penalize distracted driving activities such as texting while operating a motor vehicle.
"Distracted or inattentive driving has become a major concern to the motorcycling community. Motor vehicle operators engaged in these behaviors are not just a danger to motorcyclists - they endanger pedestrians, bicyclists, roadside assistance and emergency medical personnel, highway construction workers, and law enforcement personnel. The AMA acknowledges that motorcyclists share this responsibility as well.
"The AMA supports legislation that includes enhanced penalty options to be determined by the courts. Examples include enhanced fines, operator's license suspension, points assessed on an operator's record, community service, and imprisonment."
The first state to make the roads a bit safer for motorcyclists was Washington, which signed the texting ban into law in May, 2007. Since then, many states jumped on the safety trend.
But there are still 15 states to go. If you're a motorcyclist in one of these 15 states, there are ways to be heard. Log onto the rights' section of the AMA website to become active in ensuring not only your own safety, but the safety of every motorcycist riding in your state.
Following is a list of states where Texting While Driving is Illegal:
•Alaska
•Arkansas
•California
•Colorado
•Connecticut
•Delaware
•Georgia
•Illinois
•Indiana
•Iowa
•Kansas
•Kentucky
•Louisiana
•Maryland
•Massachusetts
•Michigan
•Minnesota
•Nebraska
•Nevada
•New Hampshire
•New Jersey
•New York
•North Carolina
•North Dakota
•Oregon
•Pennsylvania (April, 2012)
•Rhode Island
•Tennessee
•Utah
•Vermont
•Virginia
•Washington
•Wisconsin
•Wyoming
*D.C., Guam are also included in the texting ban
Ron Lieback 11/10/2011
Motorcycle Safety
How many times have you witnessed drivers texting behind the wheel, not paying attention to anything on the road?
Texting while driving has become a major issue over the past few years, and many accidents are attributed to it on a daily basis.
But as this issue continues diverting driver's attention from the roads, more and more states are placing a legal ban on texting while driving.
And the lastest is Pennsylvania, which became the 35th state to ban texting while driving. The potentially lifesaving bill was signed into law Wednesday by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that the new law makes texting behind the wheel a primary offense, meaning that police can pull over motorists for that violation alone.
The law will go into affect in April 2012, and the fine is set at $50, the GHSA reports.
Upon hearing the news about a state to ban texting earlier this year, North Dakota, the American Motorcycle Association responded.
Peter terHorst (AMA Spokesman) says: "The American Motorcyclist Association is encouraged by the number of states taking action to penalize distracted driving activities such as texting while operating a motor vehicle.
"Distracted or inattentive driving has become a major concern to the motorcycling community. Motor vehicle operators engaged in these behaviors are not just a danger to motorcyclists - they endanger pedestrians, bicyclists, roadside assistance and emergency medical personnel, highway construction workers, and law enforcement personnel. The AMA acknowledges that motorcyclists share this responsibility as well.
"The AMA supports legislation that includes enhanced penalty options to be determined by the courts. Examples include enhanced fines, operator's license suspension, points assessed on an operator's record, community service, and imprisonment."
The first state to make the roads a bit safer for motorcyclists was Washington, which signed the texting ban into law in May, 2007. Since then, many states jumped on the safety trend.
But there are still 15 states to go. If you're a motorcyclist in one of these 15 states, there are ways to be heard. Log onto the rights' section of the AMA website to become active in ensuring not only your own safety, but the safety of every motorcycist riding in your state.
Following is a list of states where Texting While Driving is Illegal:
•Alaska
•Arkansas
•California
•Colorado
•Connecticut
•Delaware
•Georgia
•Illinois
•Indiana
•Iowa
•Kansas
•Kentucky
•Louisiana
•Maryland
•Massachusetts
•Michigan
•Minnesota
•Nebraska
•Nevada
•New Hampshire
•New Jersey
•New York
•North Carolina
•North Dakota
•Oregon
•Pennsylvania (April, 2012)
•Rhode Island
•Tennessee
•Utah
•Vermont
•Virginia
•Washington
•Wisconsin
•Wyoming
*D.C., Guam are also included in the texting ban
New Gang Bill ?, W.T.F.....
OFF THE WIRE
Editors Note:
Hi All,
Just read this recent article. Looks as if they may once again try to pass a new gang law. As you can see from the article we are getting our point across that when you try to define a gang it winds up including more than the intended persons and groups. Keep a watchful eye on this next session.
Hopkinsville Legislators and Law Enforcement Working Together to Stop Gang Violence in Christian County
HOPKINSVILLE, KY (wkms) - On the streets of Hopkinsville there are signs of a growing change in the city's personality, if you know where to look. Hats, bandanas, colorful graffiti all facets of urban identity that together symbolize an underlying problem. In Hopkinsville, like many U.S. cities; the problem is gangs. Shelly Baskin reports on the measures Prosecutors and Legislators are taking to stop the spread of gangs in the city.
Christian County Commonwealth's Attorney Lynn Pryor has been prosecuting gang members for several years now. But a 2008 murder stands out to her as especially violent. Pryor said,
"Some gang members from Clarksville drug a girl into Christian County; shot at her 15 times, hit her with 9 bullets Because she had made a report on one of them about a stolen X-Box and they brought her into Kentucky to kill her."
That's the story of Shyara Olavarria, one of the more gruesome gang related crimes to occur in C. Pryor says after Olavarria's murder the gang members went back to Tennessee and within an hour shot an opposing gang member. She says the gang members brought Olavarria to Kentucky because the laws against gangs in the Commonwealth aren't as strict as those of other states. She said,
"I have had several of them tell me that they are coming into Kentucky because we don't have adequate laws to address gang issues here, where some of the other states do."
That's because while other states add time to their sentences for crimes committed as a gang member, Kentucky doesn't. Because of this, gang members will travel to Kentucky to commit more serious crimes to avoid a longer sentence. That's something Kentucky House Representative John Tilley is trying to prevent. As the state representative for parts of Trigg and Christian county, including Hopkinsville, Tilley has a vested interest in the success of gang enforcement measures. He's been working with prosecutors and law enforcement to introduce more effective laws for the state. Tilley said,
"We have to listen to our prosecutors and law enforcement in that it is too difficult to use the current existing law. So whether we revise current law or scrap it for another scheme all together is something we have to look at going forward."
Tilley says that while most legislators agree that the new laws are necessary, he's still having trouble getting them passed. He says people are worried that the wording of the laws would affect other groups besides the gangs. He said,
"There's been some resistance for instance by legitimate motorcycle clubs and some of these things and other clubs that it could be misconstrued as a criminal gang."
But Attorney Pryor says that's not the case. She said,
"We aren't trying to limit anybody's ability to associate with whoever they want to associate with. What we are trying to limit is using that group to commit crimes, whether is be drug crimes, violent assaults, or even murders."
But everyone agrees that stricter legislation is only part of the equation. Christian County Sheriff's Deputy Scott Noisworthy says law enforcement also needs the tools to find out who gang members are and where they are. He said,
"Right now what we'd like to see is a statewide gang database and a statewide validation."
Tilley agrees. He said,
"I think the database is crucial. I think that is something we have to get done. We have to be satisfied that law enforcement and the prosecutorial community has the tool that it needs to identify the members and keep them on record."
He says he's been working with law enforcement agencies around the state to find the best way to come up with a viable database for gangs. One option is using one already in place for the state police. The database would use a point based system to determine if someone is an active member of a gang. Deputy Noisworthy says that system would be a major part of properly enforcing the law. He said,
"What we want to make sure is we don't improperly label someone as a gang member. We want to make sure that whenever we get to the point where we have stricter laws on gang members and the crimes that they commit that we can be absolutely sure without a doubt that this person is a gang member."
But Representative Tilley says gang enforcement and punishment only go so far. He says the most important tool isn't legislation or a database, but prevention. And he says the best prevention is the sense of community that's often lacking in areas with strong gang activity.
Editors Note:
Hi All,
Just read this recent article. Looks as if they may once again try to pass a new gang law. As you can see from the article we are getting our point across that when you try to define a gang it winds up including more than the intended persons and groups. Keep a watchful eye on this next session.
Hopkinsville Legislators and Law Enforcement Working Together to Stop Gang Violence in Christian County
HOPKINSVILLE, KY (wkms) - On the streets of Hopkinsville there are signs of a growing change in the city's personality, if you know where to look. Hats, bandanas, colorful graffiti all facets of urban identity that together symbolize an underlying problem. In Hopkinsville, like many U.S. cities; the problem is gangs. Shelly Baskin reports on the measures Prosecutors and Legislators are taking to stop the spread of gangs in the city.
Christian County Commonwealth's Attorney Lynn Pryor has been prosecuting gang members for several years now. But a 2008 murder stands out to her as especially violent. Pryor said,
"Some gang members from Clarksville drug a girl into Christian County; shot at her 15 times, hit her with 9 bullets Because she had made a report on one of them about a stolen X-Box and they brought her into Kentucky to kill her."
That's the story of Shyara Olavarria, one of the more gruesome gang related crimes to occur in C. Pryor says after Olavarria's murder the gang members went back to Tennessee and within an hour shot an opposing gang member. She says the gang members brought Olavarria to Kentucky because the laws against gangs in the Commonwealth aren't as strict as those of other states. She said,
"I have had several of them tell me that they are coming into Kentucky because we don't have adequate laws to address gang issues here, where some of the other states do."
That's because while other states add time to their sentences for crimes committed as a gang member, Kentucky doesn't. Because of this, gang members will travel to Kentucky to commit more serious crimes to avoid a longer sentence. That's something Kentucky House Representative John Tilley is trying to prevent. As the state representative for parts of Trigg and Christian county, including Hopkinsville, Tilley has a vested interest in the success of gang enforcement measures. He's been working with prosecutors and law enforcement to introduce more effective laws for the state. Tilley said,
"We have to listen to our prosecutors and law enforcement in that it is too difficult to use the current existing law. So whether we revise current law or scrap it for another scheme all together is something we have to look at going forward."
Tilley says that while most legislators agree that the new laws are necessary, he's still having trouble getting them passed. He says people are worried that the wording of the laws would affect other groups besides the gangs. He said,
"There's been some resistance for instance by legitimate motorcycle clubs and some of these things and other clubs that it could be misconstrued as a criminal gang."
But Attorney Pryor says that's not the case. She said,
"We aren't trying to limit anybody's ability to associate with whoever they want to associate with. What we are trying to limit is using that group to commit crimes, whether is be drug crimes, violent assaults, or even murders."
But everyone agrees that stricter legislation is only part of the equation. Christian County Sheriff's Deputy Scott Noisworthy says law enforcement also needs the tools to find out who gang members are and where they are. He said,
"Right now what we'd like to see is a statewide gang database and a statewide validation."
Tilley agrees. He said,
"I think the database is crucial. I think that is something we have to get done. We have to be satisfied that law enforcement and the prosecutorial community has the tool that it needs to identify the members and keep them on record."
He says he's been working with law enforcement agencies around the state to find the best way to come up with a viable database for gangs. One option is using one already in place for the state police. The database would use a point based system to determine if someone is an active member of a gang. Deputy Noisworthy says that system would be a major part of properly enforcing the law. He said,
"What we want to make sure is we don't improperly label someone as a gang member. We want to make sure that whenever we get to the point where we have stricter laws on gang members and the crimes that they commit that we can be absolutely sure without a doubt that this person is a gang member."
But Representative Tilley says gang enforcement and punishment only go so far. He says the most important tool isn't legislation or a database, but prevention. And he says the best prevention is the sense of community that's often lacking in areas with strong gang activity.
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