Jerry Summers
The use of the term “gangs” by one of our community’s highest law enforcement officials did not gain unanimous political approval or endorsement from other elected office holders in a smaller municipality.
However since we have survived the annual Fourth of July Celebration with no reported local “gang” shootings in the rural and urban settings the above term should be defined for the voting and tax paying public:
1. An association of three or more individuals (sounds innocent enough);
2. A group of youngsters or adolescents who associate closely, often exclusively, for social reasons (kids just having fun);
3. A group of young people, especially young men (sexist?) who spend time together, often fighting with other groups and some conduct of misbehavior (check with Juvenile Court Judge seat occupant) and;
4. Associations of three or more individuals who adopt a group identity in order to create an atmosphere of fear or intimidation (Federal Bureau of Investigation memo- November 2023); and
5. An organized group of criminals (a little harsh description depending on which politician you ask the question as to whether Hamilton County/Choo Choo City have a problem in 2023-2024?)
(Federal, state, and local statistics are available online for a variety of methods for calculating the number of gang groups in many jurisdictions.)
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