Governor wipes out state gang task force

With his signature of the state budget, Gov. Jerry Brown eliminated the statewide gang task force that was touted during a press conference in Tulare April 7 by state Attorney General Kamala Harris and local law enforcement officials.

The $71 million cut eliminates the approximately 200 state Department of Justice officers who worked with law enforcement agencies up and down the state. The action also wipes out the San Joaquin Valley Marijuana Task Force.

While Capt. Greg Wright of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department said his agency did not rely on the state task force, any reduction in efforts to curb gangs and gang violence will have a negative impact.

“It hurts, but it’s not going to shut down shop,” he said referring to the Sheriff’s push to crack down on gangs in the county.

Harris is not happy with the move and has been joined by several law enforcement agencies to get the funding restored.

In a statement she released after the budget deal was reached, Harris said, “The proposed $71 million cut will cripple California’s statewide anti-gang and drug trafficking operations.”

She added, “Our Division of Law Enforcement leads 50 task forces across the state that target criminal gangs and drug trafficking organizations. Earlier this month, one of these task forces took down 101 leaders and members of two transnational gangs terrorizing California’s Central Valley. Last month, we announced the seizure of over 100 pounds of methamphetamine and the arrests of more than 30 gang members in the Bay Area. These cuts will eliminate many, if not all, of these task forces and jeopardize many ongoing investigations.”

Linda Gledhill, spokesperson for the Attorney General’s office, said, “We’re working diligently to restore the funding,” but acknowledged the budget has already been signed and the effort would be to renew funding, not restore it.

She said the 55 task forces “coordinated and work” with multi-jurisdictional groups targeting gang activities. About 18 months ago the task force work with the Visalia Police Department in making more than 30 arrests of suspect gang members throughout Tulare and Kings counties and said those gang members had ties to gang leaders at Pelican Bay Prison.

At the April press conference, Porterville Police Chief Chuck McMillan, who also attended what was the first in a series of region-by-region zone meetings, said the formation of a Central Valley task force was the next step for law enforcement in gang suppression in the Porterville area.

While law enforcement agencies were to designate a person to work with the state, Wright said the TCSD had not yet assigned anyone.

He said where the state assistance came in handy was in dealing with gang leaders out of the area or in prison who were still calling the shots locally.

“When investigations become very big and involved, they lend manpower,” he said.

He said the loss of the marijuana task force should not have much of impact because TCSD has its own task force, but admitted that when statewide organized crime is involved, state assistance is needed.