WOLF: ANTI-GANG TASK FORCE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Announces Additional Funding for FY 2007

Statement of Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10th)
Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force Press Conference
Monday, July 17, 2006


“I want to thank everyone from the community for being here today to hear about the outstanding job the task force has been doing at combating gangs in our neighborhoods. We are truly blessed to have these hard working men and women of the task force, from the law enforcement officials, to the prosecutors, to the social service providers and local non-profits addressing this issue. It is and continues to be a team effort.

“As you know, the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force is working in coordination with the Northwest Regional Drug Task Force to cooperatively root out gangs from Alexandria all the way out into the Shenandoah Valley. Because of this multi-jurisdictional – and multi-agency – cooperation, we have become a model for other regions across the country facing growing levels of gang activity.

“Chief Summers and Chief Price, I want to thank you for your leadership and appreciate being regularly updated on the activities of the task force. As a result of your efforts, the relationships between the various law enforcement agencies – federal, state and local – are better than ever.

“Gangs are now present in 33 states and counting. If we want to solve this gang problem across the country, it is going to take local, state, federal and international law enforcement working together. I appreciate that several members of the task force took time to attend an international law enforcement summit on MS-13 in El Salvador. I understand this has helped strengthen the international cooperation.

“Law enforcement task forces are regularly established to deal with specific issues – gun
trafficking, narcotics, gangs or other issues; but what makes this task force unique is not only the cooperation but the holistic approach they have employed in working to eliminate gangs from northern Virginia.

“Through the suppression efforts, law enforcement is rounding up the worst of the worst.
Through prevention, young people are being provided with positive opportunities during those critical after school hours from 3 and 6 p.m. And through the intervention efforts, those that are ready to leave gang life behind them are receiving hope and assistance.

“I will let the intervention board members tell you the specifics, but I am pleased that the same coordination and cooperation that has been utilized in the suppression phase is being mirrored in the prevention and intervention phase. That means that we can stretch local resources farther to help young people get the services they need. For example, it's hard to leave the gang life when you still have tattoos all over your body that identify you as part of a certain gang. While not every jurisdiction can afford a tattoo removal machine, cooperation among jurisdictions is helping ensure that young people ready to leave gang life behind can get their tattoos removed – even if their jurisdiction doesn't have a machine of its own.

“As chairman of the House appropriations subcommittee which has jurisdiction over the Department of Justice – including the FBI, ATF, DEA, the Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I have been in a position to help direct more than $6 million in federal funding to the northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force over the last couple of years.

“This year's spending bill (FY 2007 Science-State-Justice-Commerice Appropriations) that recently passed the House again includes funding for the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force. While the precise funding level is yet to be finalized, I anticipate providing funding above the $2.5 million included in last year's spending bill to give the task force the resources it needs to continue the successful efforts to fight gangs.

“Again, I want to express my personal appreciation to each and every one of the dedicated men and women of the task force. You are making a difference and showing gangs that they are not welcome in northern Virginia.”