The City Council on Tuesday night voted 7-2 to fund a gang assessment carried out by the Ochs Center and was unanimous in asking the state Legislature to set tougher sentences for the most violent gang members.
Councilwoman Deborah Scott opposed the study, which has a cost of $69,940 and a contingency taking the expense up to $75,000. She said there was not enough input from police officers who know the gang situation best.
Councilman Peter Murphy said having an assessment is a necessary part of gaining various grants to fight gangs.
He said, "It's a hoop we've got to jump through, so let's jump through the hoop."
Councilman Andrae McGary was the other no vote.
The entire council approved a resolution in support of two bills "giving our local and state law enforcement agencies more opportunities to incarcerate a greater number of criminal street gang members for longer periods of time and to protect our citizens and their rights."
Boyd Patterson, city gang czar, said it does not mean there will be a roundup of gang members, but he said it is a tool to help give more time to members of "hyper-violent" gangs with repeat violent activity.
He said gang members would fit under the state RICO statute only if they are involved in crimes of violence or crimes involving selling drugs or guns. "A repeat car thief would not qualify," he said.
Mr. Patterson, who is on leave from his prosecutor position, said the new legislation might take a gang member from serving 30 percent of an eight-year term to a higher percentage of 12-20 years.
Councilman Russell Gilbert said he supported the measure only after being assured the stiff punishments would be reserved for "the worst of the worst." He said he agreed "that we've got to do something."
Council Chairman Pam Ladd said she was impressed by the depth of the planned assessment. She said, "I think it's going to generate a dramatic amount of information that we have not had before."
Councilman Jack Benson said, "Right now our work is not efficient. We don't know where the shadow is we are trying to strike at."
The assessment is expected to be finished by August.