Gang Task Force Meeting Oct. 15

ANDERSON –Anderson County Gang Task Force is sponsoring a Community-Wide Meeting on Thursday night, October 15th, at the Anderson County Museum beginning at 6 PM. Guest speakers will include Mr. William Stansberry (Youth Crime Watch of America) and Mr. Mike Gregory (Sheriff’s Office).

Mr. William Stansberry is a Master Trainer with Youth Crime Watch of America and Advisor for Youth Crime Watch of Chillicothe, Chillicothe Metroplitan Housing Authority in Chillicothe, Ohio. Youth Crime Watch of America is a nationally recognized best practice program operating in hundreds of schools and community organizations throughout the United States.

The Anderson County Gang Task Force was organized by Anderson County Council member Gracie S. Floyd to combat gang activity in the Anderson area. The Task Force was patterned after national models to focus on gang prevention, intervention and suppression. In order to address the issues from the broadest perspective, the Task Force sought representation from local law enforcement, the solicitor’s office, local governments, school districts, the department of juvenile justice and the housing authority.

“Anderson County is not immune to gang activity,” said County Council woman Floyd, leader of Anderson’s Gang Task Force. “Our Task Force was organized to develop strategies to more accurately monitor gang activity, understand the attraction of gangs, discourage participation, provide positive alternatives to gang participation and reduce the impact of gang activity in our community. We have made strides toward our goal, but there is still much left to do. We encourage the community to come out and learn how they can be part of the solution to making Anderson County a safer place for our youth.”  

After a late-night shootout near Applebee’s Bar and Grill on Clemson Boulevard in 2005, Floyd went to work rejuvenating the Gang Task Force that she had formed a few years earlier. Since that time the Task Force has met regularly, making strides toward their goals. Additionally, Floyd has worked to support and collaborate with the Fusion Warehouse because she believes it can give young people a positive alternative to becoming involved in a gang.