Community groups and church organizations have been identified by local leaders as some of the best ways to prevent gang involvement in Chattanooga, but new and existing efforts by the police are the main ways the city of Chattanooga is working to suppress existing activity.
“We can’t have civil rest without good law enforcement,” said Gang Task Force co-coordinator Boyd Patterson. “Our forces are serious about taking out the most violent gangs and gang members.”
The forces Patterson is referring to are the Chattanooga Area Gang Enforcement team which was established earlier this year and includes almost every department of law enforcement within the cities of Chattanooga, East Ridge and Red Bank, Hamilton and Walker counties, probation and parole professionals and several federal organizations including the FBI and DEA.
After the group successfully implemented two gang suppressions this winter and the state passed RICO legislation, which makes it easier to prosecute people participating in organized crime, Patterson and his partner Fred Houser said they hope local gang members understand that Chattanooga is prepared to deal with them.
“The message that CAGE has delivered is a message we’re hearing back from the streets,” said Houser. “We hope that message continues to be that the forces have been organized and Chattanooga won’t tolerate gang activity.”