Gangs. Just the word alone is enough to scare most people. A "gang" conjures up images of violent felonies, drugs, sex crimes and even murder. Popular notion would have it that Houston County has no gangs, that it is "a big city problem." That notion is wrong. Gangs permeate our society and no one is "gang free," not even Houston County.
Houston County is fortunate, however, in that our gang problem is nothing like the problems experienced by many cities and counties in Georgia. But we do have gangs, which is why we must be ever vigilant in recognizing, combating and punishing gangs and their members.
To assist in our gang fighting efforts, the Houston County Gang Task Force (HCGTF) was created six years ago to address gangs in Houston County. The task force was created by Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church, whose members recognized the need for a coordinated effort to repel gangs from our community. The leaders at Union Grove brought together churches, law enforcement, prosecutors, school and community leaders and citizens to begin the process of combating gangs in Houston County. The yearly seminars have been a tremendous success, but more education is needed.
This year, the HCGTF will hold it's annual seminar in Perry at Perry High School on Thursday, August 15, at 6:30 p.m. This year's theme is "Gangs - Not Just A Big City Problem Anymore." Instead of a formal speaker as in the past, we will be showcasing some of Houston County's own gang members, who were caught on video tape in a violent gang fight between two rival gangs. The fight actually occurred within days of last year's seminar, within a few hundred yards of last year's seminar location. The fight brought home the need for even more vigilance in how we address gangs in our community.
The seminar is open to the public. WE WANT YOU THERE! We invite parents, school teachers, students and anyone interested in combating gangs in our county. Local law enforcement agencies will be present to answer any specific questions you have. The meeting will last approximately 90 minutes, and you will become more knowledgeable about an aspect of our community that cries out for attention.
Help us make Houston County a "gang free" community and an even better place to live, work and play.