POLICE PONDER HANDLING OF GANGS

WASILLA -- Wasilla Police Chief John Glass and police investigator
Doug Sonerholm spent one day last week in Anchorage gathering
information to address a gang problem Wasilla doesn't really have -- yet.

"I don't want to be a doomsayer but I think we need to be forewarned
and therefore a little bit forearmed," Glass said.

From his perspective, gang members, at least a few of them, have
made it into the Valley by way of Anchorage. The most common thing
they seem to be involved in is drug trafficking, Glass said. Most are
juveniles or young adults.

It doesn't look like any gangs have set up shop permanently, Glass
said. And the members who are up here aren't committing major violent
crimes like they do in cities with large gang populations.

Still, Glass said he thinks it's only a matter of time. With the
Valley topping the list of growing population centers in Alaska, big
city crime is bound to show up sooner or later.

Glass couldn't say if gangs would show up in force during his tenure
as chief. But he went to Anchorage to speak with investigators about
what can be done.

"I learned a lot actually," Glass said.

Mostly meeting attendees traded information about suspected gang
members and their activities. Glass said he was particularly
interested in finding out about any gang members Anchorage police had
tracked to the Valley. And he is working to set up a relationship
between Anchorage police and one of his investigators to keep tabs on
gang activity moving up the highway.

"Having advanced knowledge of who and what the players are and what
they do and what kind of activities go on, I think that's just part
of it," Glass said.

The Nov. 15 meeting was well attended by representatives from
Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula and the Valley. Kenai and Anchorage
school districts also sent representatives.

Glass said if gangs show up in the Valley he's not sure how to go
about combating them.

Educational programs in the schools to stop kids from joining up
would be a good start. And police should also work closely with
juvenile justice and child services, Glass said.

It would also help, "if we have some family intervention," Glass said.

Other than that, "I don't have the answer," Glass said. "I don't
think Los Angeles or Chicago or any of those places do either."