New Bedford police introduce new gang policy

NEW BEDFORD, Mass.  (WLNE)- New Bedford police are rolling out their new gang policy this week, as violence has spike throughout the country in the past year. The new initiative works on a point system.

“For many years now, we used a point system. There were various criteria on the point system when you accumulated a designated amount of points you would be considered a gang member of gang affiliate,” Lieutenant Scott Carola told ABC6 Wednesday.

Points are racked up after involvement in certain crimes, gang tattoos, and other criminal activity. Lt. Carola said the department has made that point criteria more stringent, harder to be considered a gang member.

“We have taken some criticism and some ideas from community activists and stakeholders, and we decided that the way we’ve been going…things in the past…needed to be tightened up.”

Another addition to the policy- anyone who is suspected of being a gang affiliate will get a notice in the mail from the City’s Gang Unit.

Those who receive the notice will have fourteen days to talk to police.

“Our gang unit now sends out registered mail saying we have you listed as a gang affiliate and if you want to come in and talk to investigators about it.”

Carola says even if it’s later than fourteen days, the department is always open to someone who is turning their life around.

Carola says the department is also working with outreach programs in effort to reach kids who are at risk of falling into the gang lifestyle.

“The department currently utilizes the Shannon outreach team to service at-risk youth, as well as the SSYI (Safe and Successful Youth Initiative) program which concentrates on violence prevention and intervention,” the department wrote in a statement Tuesday. “Referrals are made by the department to these New Bedford based programs on a regular basis.”

Carola said getting the people of the city involved is something that has never happened in the past, and they look forward to doing more of it.

“Whenever you can get the opinions of the people who are outside of your department, they bring a fresh perspective,” Carola said. “These are all voices we have to listen to.”

The new policy goes into effect this week.