Chattanooga Police Chief Bobby DoddWhen Gov. Bill Haslam signs an anti-gang bill just passed by the Legislature, Chattanooga investigators and prosecutors will be able to start building cases to send away some of the most violent gang members, officials say.
At a news conference Wednesday, local officials said they hope gang violence will decline now that the state’s RICO, or Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, law encompasses gang members.
Rep. Vince Dean, R-East Ridge, who sponsored the bill in the House, said the law will give authorities better tools to go after gangs.
“It’s kind of like going from a screwdriver to an electric drill,” he said.
Mayor Ron Littlefield said that, while the law would not be an “instant cure,” it would be part of the solution in dealing with a “systemic problem.”