WEST TRENTON –– A recent State Police survey reports an increase in street gang activity in Cape May County since the last report was released in 2004.
On Oct. 25, State Police Superintendent Colonel Rick Fuentes released the 2007 Street Gang Survey –– the third such report in six years –– the purpose of which is “to furnish policy makers and the general public with a better understanding of the environment in which today’s gangs operate.”
“This survey provides important information on the growth of street gangs in New Jersey, including details about how the 14 most prevalent gangs have spread their membership and criminal activities into additional communities,” Attorney General Anne Milgram said in the release.
In 2004, 11 of the county’s 16 municipalities participated in the survey and Cape May City was the only to confirm a gang presence. Middle Township reported that it didn’t know if gangs were present and nine towns reported no activity.
In this year’s survey all 16 towns participated and seven reported a gang presence: Cape May, Lower and Middle townships, North Wildwood, West Cape May, Wildwood and Woodbine.
The survey’s executive summary suggests the trends found in this county are reflected statewide.
“Four respondents out of every ten in the 2007 survey reported the presence of street gangs in their jurisdiction during the previous 12 months,” it stated. “In 2004 only one-third of respondents reported the presence of street gangs.”
The southern part of the state, including this county, showed the largest increase from 25 percent in 2004 to 55 percent this year.
In the North, however, the tri-border region between Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic counties, was identified as one of three no-gang clusters in the state’s South Region. These clusters are areas where municipalities did not report gang activity and “all are predominantly rural or exurban areas of New Jersey.”
County Prosecutor Robert Taylor told the Herald the general increased gang presence could be attributed to the drug trade. He said drug dealers get substantially more for their wares in resort areas than in larger cities.
He said, for instance, an ounce of cocaine would fetch $800 in Camden, while in Cape May it would cost closer to $1,200. Similarly, a “bundle” of heroin would be around $80-$90 in Camden and between $130-$190 here. With marijuana, he said, the price is double.
The survey said, in general, that “drug crimes constitute almost half of all criminal activity attributed to gangs.” Assaults and aggravated assaults were the most common violent crimes and sex crimes are relatively rare for gangs, the report said.
No discernable increase in school gang presence was seen between 2004 and 2007, according to the survey. Taylor said, however, that schools were where his office wants to fight the county’s gang problem.
He’s applied for different state grants that would increase gang resistance and education in county middle schools where many gangs try to recruit.
According to the survey, the gangs present in the most towns in New Jersey are the Bloods, Latin Kings, Crips, MS-13 and the Pagans Motorcycle Club. According to Taylor, all of these can be found in this county.
The City of Cape May was named in the study as a “potential area of gang conflict” with two different groups seen as the “most serious gang problem” and “most aggressively recruiting.” The Bloods were identified as the most serious problem by the city.
Taylor said that, like Cape May City and the rest of the state, the Bloods were this county’s biggest gang problem.
“We have identified approximately 50 Bloods living in this county,” Taylor said.
He recalled the arrest last year of Oscar J. Randall, street name Diablo, of the Nine Trey set of the Bloods. He said his office and Lower Township police assisted the Attorney General’s office in the surveillance, investigation and capture of this dangerous criminal.
“Randall lived in Villas and operated a drug ring in Atlantic City,” Taylor explained.
The increased Pagans presence in this county was also noted in the survey.
“The Pagans Motorcycle Club is another one of the ‘Top 14’ gangs that received a significant increase in mentions in the South Region,” the survey said. “Mentions of a Pagans presence increased 47 percentage points in Cape May County…over levels observed in the 2004 survey.”
Taylor said other outlaw motorcycle groups were active in this county including the Warlocks and Breed.
“Although gang enforcement has become more effective and focused upon its criminal leadership, some gangs with statewide membership continue to ply their trade at the expense of public safety,” said Fuentes, a former supervisor of the state’s Street Gang Unit. “Street gangs remain a priority of the State Police and the Governor’s Crime Plan.”
This survey has been posted on the State Police Web site at www.njsp.org.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
