School District May Act on Gangs
The Rowland Unified School District may step up efforts to help law enforcement officials crack down on neighborhood gangs.
Supt. Sharon Robison has recommended that all campuses regularly inform police and the district attorney’s office about students belonging to gangs involved in illegal activities. Robison said the information would aid enforcement of a new state law providing additional punishment for gang members.
“We have all been aware of increases gang violence and drive-by shootings,” Robison said Monday. “And the violence in the community tends to come back on campus.”
Robison said she began exploring what the schools could do after the passage of the 1988 Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act, which provides that gang members can be prosecuted on an additional charge of gang membership once they are arrested on suspicion of a gang-related crime.
Convicted gang members can be sent to jail or prison for as long as three years for a number of offenses, such as loaning a car or gun used in a drive-by shooting.
The board is scheduled to discuss Robison’s proposal at its June 29 meeting.
The Rowland and Alhambra school districts already help police identify gang members by informing them about drug sales and other activities taking place at school.
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