Highlands Today
Sheriff: Gangs Not A Big Problem In County
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Published: May 16, 2008
SEBRING — Most Highlands County residents know little about local street gangs – the Little Crime Committers (LCC), SUR-13, Sugar Hill Gang (females), No Lost Soldiers and the Dog Pound – but local law enforcement officers have been fighting those, and similar organizations, for 15 years.
Highlands County Sheriff Susan Benton said Thursday night at Homer's Buffet, during a Highlands County Voter League meeting, that her office takes the gang threat seriously, although most gang members are juvenile "wanna-be gang guys," grouped by neighborhoods.
Most residents developed a view of typical gang activity from television and movies, but most gang-associated activity in the county differs.
Randy LaBelle, captain over the sheriff's office crime investigation division, said traditional gangs organize and commit crime, but in the county, such gang activity has not surfaced.
Big city influences from Los Angeles, New York or Miami could change everything locally within just a week, according to the captain.
Several characteristics are common to most established gangs: a name must be established; members must hang out together; members admit they belong to a group and commit crimes together, said Benton.
School resource officers work closely with both students and parents to control gangs. Police and sheriff's deputies try to determine a "king pin."
"If you can identify the main leader, take him out and they'll fall apart, until some influential child comes along," said Benton.
Parents are often fearful because of their immigration status, but Benton assured the group that only law breakers – and not victims – are investigated as illegal aliens.
Parents are very supportive and sometimes beg for help when it's beyond their control, said Benton.
Many gang members mark their territory by publicly spray painting a gang name. Benton said the department strives to have graffiti removed within 48 hours.
Effected property owners or public entities are promptly notified to repaint. Benton even said deputies could be asked to cover graffiti with spray paint.
Three juvenile gang members were recently arrested after 20 stop signs in Lake Placid were "tagged" with a gang name.
"They're more of an annoyance than anything else," said Lake Placid Police Chief Phil Williams. "We have nothing here in the way of turf wars."
Intelligence and officer training often puts the good guys a step ahead of the criminals.
"You have to constantly keep up with what is the latest in the gang world," said Benton. "We're not going to miss this bullet. It's coming our way."
Benton explained to three dozen Highlands County Voter League members that she favored, but has yet to "filter out the full scope" of recent laws enacted by the state of Florida.
Those laws include longer jail terms for "soliciting" new gang members, registering convicted gang members the same way sex offenders and predators are and working with civil authorities to establish "public nuisances" at gang gathering locations in troubled neighborhoods – often areas where drugs are sold.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( TLC ) on May 16, 2008 at 8:14 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
They come around my house, I'll shoot em'
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Posted by ( Been_There_Done_That ) on May 16, 2008 at 8:16 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Once reason for the profile stated is lack of affordable housing and fewer people from the coasts and people from south Florida are moving here.
Much of the vandalism and property crimes are training for more serious criminal activity. As these young punks age, their crimes become more serious and deadly.
I hope that the Sheriff will keep a tight lid on all property crimes and vandalism. Having lived in other parts of Florida, where gangs are prevalent, it is difficult to curtail gang activity once it becomes a big problem.
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Posted by ( TLC ) on May 16, 2008 at 9:03 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
People move here from the coasts to get their kids away from gangs, the problem is, now they are the 'big fish' and start their own gangs and become the leaders because that's the only life they know.
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Posted by ( fortune400 ) on May 16, 2008 at 9:42 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
There is not such a thing as a "gang wa-na-be" like the Sheriff stated. I have been in several training sessions and law enforcement seminars in which the term "gang wa-na-be" must not be used. Either they are or they are not.
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Posted by ( travismcgee ) on May 16, 2008 at 10:56 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The Sheriff stating that they are "Wannabees" shows a lack of knowledge. There is no such thing as a "wannabee", if they decide to become gang members they are in fact just that! That is how all "BIG CITY" gangs were started and are still recruited. A lack of acknowledgement of them as "real" gangsters only prods them to become more vicious and imitate their idols. Ignoring them as less than a threat is dangerous. This is frankly a less than enlightned approach by our local Sheriff and her subordinates. Putting our heads in the sand hoping it will go away is not going to help solve any problems
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Posted by ( Questioner ) on May 17, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I remember when the sheriff, as a public information officer of the sheriff's office, also said there were no gangs in Highlands County. And, that was less than 15 years ago. Now she says there has been a gang unit for 15 years.
Also, if you read the story carefully you will see that she said mostly the gang members are wanna be. So that must mean some are serious, huh.
And someone who is trying to prove they are tough enough to be part of a gang is more dangerous than one who has been confirmed as a gang member.
If I didn't know better I would swear that the information the sheriff gave at the meeting sounded like political spin, but the sheriff would never do that, right?
However, something has to be offered to counter all the gang art showing up, so let's say they are just wanna be and calm the public. It isn't good for the public to know the truth, they might vote differently.
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Posted by ( Been_There_Done_That ) on May 17, 2008 at 3:21 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Sounds like a Chamber Of Commerce moment, by the Sheriff. If there are gangs here, the public has a right to know, and also a right to know what is being done about them.
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Posted by ( gritshifter ) on May 18, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
"Benton said the department strives to have graffiti removed within 48 hours."
- Quoted from above article
The department needs to strive a little harder. There are county maintained signs all over the county with gang tags. Next time you are driving near your homes look at the backs of street signs and watch how long that graffiti remains.
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Posted by ( dangermw ) on July 17, 2008 at 11:01 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
The Sheriff needs to get a reality check. There is plenty of gang-like activity in every community. Even if you pick them out of a line up the Sheriff doesn't arrest them. Gee I wonder if they are one of her and Labelle's snitches that they keep out there to keep their trumped up busts going so they can get more revenue to buy big buildings that we don't need or give out huge bonuses to everyone not based on an evaluation of work ethics and productivity?
I think they need to get rid of the criminals in their own department as well as the ones on the street!
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