Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond speaks Tuesday to a board of local officials about what needs to be done to remedy Chattanooga’s gang problem.
Chattanooga Police Chief Bobby Dodd speaks Tuesday to a board of officials about what needs to be done to remedy Chattanooga’s gang problem.
Assistant District Attorney Boyd Patterson speaks to a board of officials about what needs to be done to remedy Chattanooga’s gang problem early Tuesday morning at the County Courthouse off of Georgia Ave.A steering committee set up to combat gangs in Chattanooga took steps Tuesday to discuss the Chattanooga area’s growing issue.
Although the committee has met a handful of times since early March, officials are still in the early stages of implementing a federal plan issued by the Department of Juvenile Justice to combat gangs.
The plan, which links social services and local governments together rather than relying only on police officers, requires that a project director be hired to coordinate efforts.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Chattanooga Police Chief Bobby Dodd was named chairman of a subcommittee, which also includes Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond and Hamilton County Assistant District Attorney Boyd Patterson. The subcommittee will interview candidates for a project director’s position.
The committee plans to make more progress in light of the growing number of shootings and gang-related homicides.