Thread: Greenlee: Gangs move in, and city is shocked

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Greenlee: Gangs move in, and city is shocked

Bob Greenlee
Sunday, September 9, 2007

A couple weeks ago a 15-year old Boulder High School kid was charged with four felonies after he fired several shots at a two rival gang members. He faces attempted first-degree murder charges along with four separate misdemeanors. If convicted and sentenced as an adult, he could face up to 32 years in prison.

This kid's future is likely ruined because he made a conscious decision to become a member of Boulder's homegrown 34th Street gang. At least one of his intended victims was a fellow student at Boulder High who was reported to be a member of the Surenos — a large national prison gang.

This extremely unfortunate incident is remarkable for a number of reasons; not the least of which are the number of entirely clueless Boulder citizens who had their socks knocked off when they became aware that gangs are a part of our community.

Commenting about the incident that was reported on the Camera's Web site, one person identified as "Fly182" wrote: "A Hispanic gang at San Juan del Centro? Why is this the first I've heard of this?" Another person identified as "rheostat" wrote: "Since when did Boulder get its very own Bario (sic)??? I have been here 25 years and never heard of this so-called neighborhood." Another person, "Ann," said: "I had no idea Boulder had gangs ... I recently moved here because the neighborhood I grew up in has been gang infested."

Welcome to the 21st century Boulder. Where have all of you folks been? Perhaps this is a perfect of example of what happens in an isolated dream world that far too many people here live in. It's a world where community leaders continuously strive to perfect and promote multi-culturalism. Some caution must be expressed, however, because we cannot be overly timid when it comes to confronting serious matters like gangs that just might involve Boulder's minority communities.

Word of gang activity sends many local citizens into a nearly catatonic state. Perhaps these folks haven't been paying much attention to reality because they feel they are immune from the impacts of social and ethnic dissonance in idyllic Boulder. Wake up, folks, because the presence of the Surenos gang in Boulder County is no joking matter.

This menace emerged in California's prison system in the late 1960s when a fracture occurred within what was known as the Mexican Mafia. Two separate groups emerged from their start in California's prison system and splintered into northern and southern gangs who controlled the highly sophisticated drug-trafficking system within the prison system. Once found only in large cities, many of these gangs have infested towns of all sizes.

Gangs first surfaced in Longmont in 1990. Within three years the Hispanic-American ESL gang, once known as the Purple Posse, grew to be the largest in the county. Members engaged in selling drugs along with committing acts of violence. In 1995, ESL members attacked Longmont police officers who responded to a loud party they were having. Around 50 gang members got into a fight with police that night. Two similar incidents resulted in the police issuing warrants for the arrest of the gang's leadership, which helped to slow their growth.

Over the past five years, however, gang activity has increased in Longmont. In the spring of last year, there were at least seven shooting incidents along with a gang homicide that involved a sword. These gang activities have now infiltrated Boulder, and we are not immune from the growing potential of generating even more violence.

To cope with the growing menace, Longmont police established an internal gang unit to gather intelligence, intervene with young people and suppress and break up gangs. This year, Longmont created a full-time Gang and Crime Suppression Unit of seven officers, and one hopes these efforts will be successful.

Boulder may be forced into taking similar actions if things get more out of control. We simply can't afford to ignore dealing with gangs even though doing so involves possible confrontation with minorities. The community must be prepared to spend whatever it takes to curtail or prevent heightened gang activity here. We might even need to eliminate conducting the proposed $100,000 "community survey" in favor of giving our police more resources to stop future gang activities. But simply being aware that gangs do exist here is the first important step.

Bob Greenlee was a member of Boulder City Council for 16 years and served his last two years as mayor. He can be reached at: robertdgreenlee@aol.com

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2007/se ... s-shocked/

Well, Boulder, welcome to the real world.

why do some people think that multi-culturism is a wonderful thing for this country. WE are so afraid of discussing this because we might labled as racist. We just have to be politicaly correct. I'm not, but why can't I be prejudice?

Coming soon to a neighborhood near you.... Courtasy of the Bush and Clinton administrations

Boulder wanted multi-culturalism, they got what they wanted. Why are the idiots so surprisied? I wonder now if they will vote for Tancredo?

The peoples republic of Boulder knows the illegals can't afford to live there in the beginning. Now with the help and support of the city government illegal ailens are infesting la la land. CU (I dont live in the real world but will teach you how to live there) Wants to give the college to illegals.

Boulders citizens are begining to show discontent and soon will join in the fight agianst the invasion. It is slow because Boulder is insulated. The 2008 elections will be big for the NW metro area of Denver, Boulder inclueded.