Mineola, NY - Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, joined by Police Commissioner James Lawrence and members of the Roosevelt community, today announced the formation of Taskforce Against Gangs (TAG). This initiative is part of a two-pronged approach of "Zero Tolerance" and prevention. TAG's for each local community will combine Law Enforcement Agencies, County Government, and Community Groups to help combat gang activity community by community. The first TAG is being created for Roosevelt.

"The Key to this effort is that a structure is finally being put into place that will take a two pronged approach: "Zero Tolerance" for gang related crime, and preventing kids from getting involved in gangs," said County Executive Suozzi. "By establishing a partnership between Law Enforcement, Government, and the Community, we will be able to attack the systemic causes of this blight on several fronts."

Law Enforcement Agencies including the Police, Sheriff, Probation, Corrections, and the District Attorney's Office, as well as Federal and State agencies, will support the activities of the TAG. Government services assigned to assist in the effort include the Office of County Legislator Kevan Abrahams, the Roosevelt School District, Nassau County Youth Board, Office of Minority Affairs, CASA, and Town Code Enforcement. Community groups will include area clergy, Roosevelt Chamber of Commerce, Civic Associations, Neighborhood Watch, and local non-for-profit groups. The TAG will be centrally coordinated through Nassau County Police Headquarters by Deputy Chief of Patrol Anthony Rocco and the first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday November 20, 2002 at Police Headquarters.

In addition to the Taskforce, the County will be implementing a Gang Suppression Plan that will put into action a "Zero Tolerance" policy regarding gang related offences. Using Precinct level intelligence gathered by NASS-STAT, police and community members will work together to identify problem areas. Programs being considered under the plan include: additional Gang Awareness training for local officers; a better allocation of resources to community activities such as Weed and Seed and expansion of the Safe Havens Concept; and anti-gang training for teachers and school administrators.

"Gang violence requires a number of solutions and the first step is to acknowledge that gangs are in our communities and in our schools. We must use every resource at our disposal to deter their activities and prevent kids from joining gangs while keeping parents and teachers informed about signs of gang activity in our neighborhoods," said Commissioner Lawrence.