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Highlands Today

Sheriff: Gangs Not A Big Problem In County

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By Bill Rettew Jr. | Highlands Today

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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