Gang & Youth Violence Prevention & Intervention

Gang Prevention Community Task Force

Alexandria City and School departments that are involved in gang suppression, prevention and intervention efforts formed a joint senior policy work group to communicate and coordinate gang related suppression, prevention and intervention activities.

To assist the work of the senior policy work group, Council formed a task force of community representatives that would focus on gang problems and issues. This task force, the Gang Prevention Community Task Force, held its initial meeting on May 18, 2005, and was charged with the following functions and responsibilities:

1. Receive briefings on the status of gang suppression, prevention and intervention programs and activities in the City and, insofar as directly relevant to the City, the status of similar programs and activities in the metropolitan region;
    
2. Assist in informing and educating the Alexandria community about the gang suppression, prevention and intervention programs and activities that are occurring in the City and in the region;
    
3. Assist in identifying programs and activities that will address specific gang-related problems or issues in the City, with a particular emphasis on programs and activities that will prevent individuals from joining gangs and/or that will intervene with individuals who are members of a gang to facilitate their withdrawal from such membership;
    
4. Assist in identifying opportunities to obtain funding for programs and activities that will address such gang-related problems or issues in the City; and
    
5. Assist in identifying state or local laws that should be enacted or amended to enable the City, and possibly other local governments, to better address problems and issues arising from or related to gangs. 

On October 10, 2006, through City Council, the Gang Prevention Community Task Force membership was expanded from 13 members to now 17 members and includes the following:

• Two members of the Alexandria City Council
   
• One member of the Alexandria School Board
   
• The City Manager or his designee
   
• One representative of TC Williams High School
   
• One representative of City Middle Schools
   
• One representative of Alexandria Elementary Schools
   
• One representative of the Private Schools in Alexandria
   
• One representative of a Community-Based Organization with specific outreach to the Latino community
   
• One representative of a Community-Based Organization with specific outreach to the African-American Community
   
• Two representatives of Alexandria youth, At-Large
   
• One representative of the Alexandria Interfaith Council
   
• Two representatives from the City at large
   
• One representative of parents of Alexandria youth
   
• One representative of the business community
   

In November, 2005, Mike Mackey began working as the City’s Gang Prevention & Intervention Coordinator and staffs the efforts of the senior policy work group as well as gang prevention efforts in the Northern Virginia region. Please contact Mike Mackey at 703-746-4496 or 703-746-4144 or email mike.mackey@alexandriava.gov with any questions, or to find out when upcoming meetings are scheduled. You can also check the Boards and Commission calendar.

Through the Alexandria Gang Prevention Community Task Force

• Gang Awareness Summit hosted 600 attendees in March, 2006 Gang Awareness Summit Report
   
• Multiple Civic and Business Association presentations on gang prevention/intervention
   
• Citywide gang prevention/intervention trainings/events
   
• Collaboration with school and job training agencies regarding specific gang-related needs
   
• Participation in School Safety Meetings
   
• Consultation with Police Gang Unit
   
• Consultation with Sheriff’s Department Gang Unit
   
• Presence at Community Events
  
• Secured support to contnue outreach program