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Rowan County, city leaders say legislation not enough to stop gang activity

By Tina Terry, wsoctv.com
By Tina Terry, wsoctv.com

SALISBURY, N.C. — A bill making its way through the Capitol in Raleigh is aimed at deterring suspected gang members from committing crimes.

House Bill 138

Gangs have been a huge problem across the area and particularly in Rowan County.

House Bill 138 aims to help law enforcement officers by getting tougher on gangs and their leaders, but some said it's not enough to stop the crimes.

Woody Carter is fed up with the violence he feels has gotten out of control in Salisbury.

"You can't even walk down the street no more without something going on," Carter said.

Salisbury Police Chief Jerry Stokes shared data last month showing the town of about 34,000 people had more violent crime per capita than Mecklenburg County in 2015.

“Any legislative action that would enable us to enhance either our enforcement actions or enable the (district attorney) to seek additional sanctions for those gang members plaguing our community would be seen as positive for the Salisbury community,” Stokes said. “Sanctions provided by our society's rules and laws are generally thought or have been shown through research to deter crime or criminals. We would need to see in the future how effective these specific laws are as far as providing additional sanctions and whether those sanctions reduce gang membership or gang related crime. It is likely our community will need to provide other resources, not just sanctions, to enable those who are drawn to gangs an alternative to that involvement.”

A lot of the gun violence in the city can be linked to homegrown gangs, he said.

The bill would help define gangs and gang activity, and also create an enhanced sentence for offenses committed by criminal gang members.

Carter said it's what's needed to help clean up his neighborhood.

"I feel that's what’s needed," Carter said.

City and county leaders said the bill in itself won't solve gang problems.

"Lack of familial support, poverty, lack of jobs, lack of opportunity, lack of alternatives,” Councilman Kenny Hardin said. “Unless you do something about that, you're just putting shine on a problem."

"We need to focus on education of these children so they don't get involved in gangs and give them opportunities to find other things to do,” Rowan County Commissioner Craig Pierce said.

Sen. Andrew Brock, who represents part of Rowan County, said the bill could help with the gang crime issues that have been experienced lately in the county.

Rep. Allen McNeill helped sponsor the bill.

“I supported and sponsored this legislation because I am responding to a need from law enforcement and prosecutors to clarify gang legislation,” McNeill said. “While North Carolina has current gang legislation, it has not been working for either law enforcement or prosecutors. The new legislation clarifies many of the definitions for what a gang member, gang, leader, gang activity is. Current law makes it a crime to be a gang member but there is very little definitions on what a gang member is. The new legislation only makes being a gang member a factor if they commit an underlying crime, and then their punishment is enhanced by one level for a gang member, and two for a gang leader. The rest of the bill basically raises the punishment for certain other violations of the gang statutes. Justice in the courts works better when the laws are clearly written and that is what this legislation does with the gang statutes of this state.”

The bill passed the House and is currently in a Senate committee.

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