Nassau official criticizes police on gang crime

BY MICHAEL FRAZIER
STAFF WRITER

September 7, 2005

The president of the Nassau police union said yesterday that top county and police officials haven't backed up their tough talk about fighting gang crime.

"Somewhere along the line we have to get serious about this," said Gary DelaRaba, president of the Nassau Police Benevolent Association. "We're just not going to do a press conference, have a gang czar and not put any boots on the ground."

But Police Commissioner James Lawrence said the entire police force is dedicated to fighting gangs.

"It's the responsibility of every man and woman in uniform in this county," he said.

DelaRaba also said during a news conference in Mineola that County Executive Thomas Suozzi didn't take the county's gang problems seriously. That's been evident, he said, since Suozzi appointed Insp. Robert Turk as gang czar last year without assigning him officers in a gang unit.

"Having a gang czar with no police officers attached to that seems to be nothing more than window dressing," DelaRaba said.

But Timothy S. Driscoll, deputy county executive for public safety, said police efforts led to a 30-percent drop in gang crimes in 2004, and a 20-percent decrease so far this year.

The police department has about 50 officers working on gang-related issues, but they work part-time on that while assigned other duties. It has never had a unit dedicated just to gangs.

Turk said yesterday that such a unit is under way, though he didn't know when it would be functional. He said the current anti-gang plan, which includes education, prevention and enforcement, is working.

This year, 400 gang members were arrested for various crimes, a slight increase from the 380 members arrested last year at this time, police said.

Arrests have been made in the six killings this year that were linked to gangs, too.

Gang members arrested on gun violations were up 11.5 percent this year, while gang arrests for other weapon violations increased 66 percent, Turk said.

"We're working on a lot of areas, but we need everybody's help," Turk said. "The preachers, the community leaders, the teachers, the parents."

DelaRaba called the strategy ineffective. Without constant police attention, gangs will continue to flourish in communities such as Hempstead, Freeport, Roosevelt and elsewhere in the county, he said.

"If they are not doing it 24-7, then they won't be effective in stopping a gang from taking over the neighborhood," he said, adding that at least 70 officers would be needed for a gang unit.

Lawrence said the anti-gang plan in place is solid. However, he said he's willing to make any necessary adjustments.

"Just because we've been taking some good steps forward, doesn't mean the march is over," he said.

Posted Wednesday, September 7, 2005

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