Alexandria Gang Prevention Community Task Force

Upcoming Meetings:

Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 6 p.m. at Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe St, Alexandria, VA  22314)

6/26/24 Meeting Minutes

9/18/24 Meeting Minutes

To assist the work of the Senior Policy Work Group on Gangs, the Alexandria City Council formed a task force of community representatives to focus on gang problems and issues. The Alexandria Gang Prevention Community Task Force held its initial meeting on May 18, 2005.

                                                                 Vision, Mission, and Responsibilities

Vision 

Safety, support and opportunity for all.

Mission

To create a gang free community through collaboration, community outreach, and advocacy.

Responsibilities

1. Increase youth/family participation in positive activities & protective supports aimed at decreasing participation in gang or crew related activities
2. Decrease gang and crew crime and incidents
3. Increase school attendance and graduation rates

The task force 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, in cases directly relevant to the City, the status of similar programs and activities in the metropolitan region  
2. Provide outreach and education to the Alexandria community about the gang suppression, prevention and intervention programs and activities that occur in the City and in the region  
3. Identify programs and activities that will address specific gang-related problems or issues in the City. Particular emphasis is on programs and activities that prevent individuals from joining gangs and/or that intervene with individuals who are members of a gang to facilitate their withdrawal from such membership  
4. Identify opportunities to obtain funding for programs and activities that will address gang-related problems or issues in the City  
5. Identify state or local laws and track policy 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, the City Council ordered the Alexandria Gang Prevention Community Task Force membership to expand from 13 members to 17 members. Current membership 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 Alexandria City High School
• One representative of City Middle Schools
• One representative of Alexandria Elementary Schools
• One representative of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority 
• One representative with specific outreach to the Latino community
• One representative with specific outreach to the African-American Community
• Two representatives of Alexandria youth, At-Large
• One representative of the Alexandria Interfaith Community
• Two representatives from the City at large
• One representative of parents of Alexandria youth 
• One representative of the business community  

Please contact Luke Daniele at 703.746.4144 or luke.daniele@alexandriava.gov with any questions, or to find out when upcoming meetings are scheduled you can refer to the  Boards and Commission Calendar.

Intervention Prevention Education: Specialized education, assessment and case management for gang prevention or intervention cases.  Over 800 cases have been served. The City of Alexandria afforded double the staff IPE was designated to receive due to overwhelming proactive referrals from community-serving agencies. IPE Referral Form 

Public Service Announcement: “Don’t Lose Yourself in a Gang” PSA originally appeared in newspapers, radio, television, and movie theaters. 

Networking: Collaborations with other jurisdictions (ex. Florida, Alaska, El Salvador) on implementation of the local gang task force model.

Learning Opportunities : The City and region provide training, outreach and workshops to youth, parents, community members and regional professionals on gang intervention and human trafficking. Contact Luke Daniele at 703.746.4144 or luke.daniele@alexandriava.gov for more information.

Jobs: Initiative to provide practical skill and employability training with the Alexandria Seaport Foundation and summer jobs program through the City’s Workforce Development Program.

Special Soccer League Program: Organized for our at-risk youth through the Virginia Youth Soccer Association to engage youth in positive recreational activities.

Alexandria Mentoring Partnership: Focuses on increasing effectiveness of mentoring programs, mentor recruitment and enhancing the mentor/mentee experience through best practices and quality based mentoring initiatives.  

Consultation: Prevention and intervention efforts to reduce the risk of crews or gang activity. Contact Luke Daniele at 703.746.4144 or luke.daniele@alexandriava.gov