Members of a task force focused on reducing gang involvement in Clark County told the Vancouver City Council on Monday night that the young people they are working with are attending classes more frequently and have fewer altercations with law enforcement.
“Gang problems in Clark County? Talk to law enforcement, it’s there,” Clay Mosher, a Washington State University professor involved with the task force said after the meeting. “It’s not Portland, it’s not Tacoma, but one reason why is the relationships that have been established.”
The Safe Communities Task Force is made up of individuals and organizations — including law enforcement officials, school leaders and the Boys & Girls Clubs — that work with gang-affected youth.
“(Part) of the issue is the kids and families we work with don’t feel like they belong to a community,” Josh Beaman, the program coordinator with the task force, told city councilors, adding they “crave community.”
‘A pivotal moment’
In 2007, a violent brawl broke out at Fort Vancouver High School and alarmed the community. Some 20 students were expelled or suspended, and the violence was believed to be tied to simmering racial tensions and gang issues. Despite an increase in gang involvement in local schools, there was no coordinated response between social services, schools and other agencies. The fight prompted a grass-roots community group to mobilize, which eventually evolved into the current Safe Communities Task Force.
“It’s hard to believe it’s already been almost 10 years since the fight at Fort Vancouver High School,” Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt said Monday. “It was certainly a pivotal moment in many ways for our community.”
The task force gave the presentation to the Vancouver City Council in part because it will soon ask the city to kick in its annual portion of $50,000. The county also often contributes $100,000 and both the Evergreen and Vancouver school districts carve out $25,000, Beaman said.
Overall, the task force is working with more than 100 young people. In 2014, a partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington spawned the first gang prevention and intervention program in Clark County. The students have long- and short-term goals; support groups for girls and boys are available; they can find help with skills such as creating a r?sum?; and there are times when they simply shoot hoops together and sit around a large dining table for group dinners.
The idea, Beaman told the city council, is to offer positive social activities. One such program recently created was a boxing program. The Maplewood Neighborhood Association along with other neighborhood partners, guided by Beaman, created the program to offer a new outlet.
Beaman said he’s hoping more neighborhood members get involved and said there are regular community meetings held for those who are interested. For more information, email josh.beaman@clark.wa.gov.
