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PORTLAND OBSERMER
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Volume XVII, Number'
August 19,
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Portland's Street Gangs: Born of
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Poverty-Nourished on Vendetta
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by Leon Harris
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Last July 4th was a festive day for Portlanders. Backyard barbequeing,
neighborly socializing, family gatherings, etc. For most neighborhoods it
was a day of peace and tranquillity — mixed with fun and fames children
and adults alike . . . almost.
For residents of the 5300 block of N.E. 10th in Portland, the day's acti
vities were abruptly curtailed by an incident which left them horrified, frigh
tened, and skeptical about future outdoor activities out of fear for their
families' safety as well as their own.
Shortly before dusk (though still somewhat daylight), a volley of gun
fire erupted in front of one of the homes in the block. Adults and children
scampered to avoid the line of fire as bullets whistled through the area aim
lessly. The exact number of shots fired is anyone's guess. The police re
covered 13 empty shell casings. No description of those involved was ob
tained due to the confusion of people ducking and dodging bullets.
While residents of the N.E. 10th neighborhood will record this as an
incident not easily forgotten, the Portland Police Department has recorded
the incident as case No. 66768—GANG RELATED!
The July 4th incident is but one of 43 youth gang-related cases docu-
The relationship between these five ''sets” is unknown, as well as un
predictable, as they often fight amongst themselves for control of the sole
purpose of their migration from California: Drugs and Crack houses.
Lucrative Drug trafficking in Portland, as opposed to a saturated Cali
fornian market, has helped the CRIPS gain notoriety as major dealers in
cocaine and operators of crack houses.
According to Los Angeles police, a sizeable "rock" (crack) can be pur
chased for as little as five dollars in that city, while the same size "ro c k "
may cost twenty dollars in Portland; one gram of cocaine in Portland aver
ages eighty dollars —L.A., thirty dollars; one ounce of cocaine in L.A. sells
for four hundred, while in Portland an ounce sells for $1,200 dollars. This
three fold mark-up attracts CRIPS drug traffickers not only to Portland, but
Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Seattle, as well.
According to the California Department of Justice, which tracks gang
activity, the following information is on record:
• Denver: up to 400 CRIPS gang members have been recruited; in
June 1986, a police officer was shot in the arm; a raid on a rock house un
covered two members of the Bloods, arc rivals of the CRIPS.
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Photo by Richard J. Brown
Reverend John
Jackson's Farewell
Statement
Thank you for coming today. Although I have announced
my retirement, I am proud to leave behind a legacy of people
and programs who will continue to address many of the issues
and concerns I fought for in my twenty-three (23) years of ser
Photo by Richard J. Brown
Graffiti at 15th Et Alberta in N.E. Portland indicates presence of CRIPS and Bloods.
• Phoenix: Two shootings last December involved gang members
mented by the North Portland Police Precinct since May 7, 1987. How
trying to expand narcotics markets; in October, police identified about 100
many occurred prior to that date is anyone's guess.
gang members flying or driving into Phoenix looking for new drug markets.
But the arrival of Capt. John Potter as North Pricinct Commander last
• Las Vegas: Gang members from Inglewood, California, have helped
spring signaled more than just a changing of the guard in St. Johns.
to establish rock houses.
Twenty-one years of police work has alerted him to pick out certain pecu
• Seattle: Police claim approximately 50 full-fledged members of Cali
liarities in crime trends.
fornia's two major Black street gangs are in the area and are recruiting
As the former Commander of Central Precinct, he noticed shortly after
"hangers-on" and "wanna bes" to run errands.
his arrival a vast difference in the types of crimes being committed between
The California Department of Justice also points out that gang activi
the two areas. There was a definite pattern of more violence and drugs in
ties are not confined to the West Coast or the Pacific Northwest. Tulsa;
Northeast Portland involving a disproportionate number of youth. Informa
Oklahoma City; Albequerque, New Mexico; Pensacola, Florida; and
tion obtained from precinct officers provided few answers-som e thought
Shreveport, LA, are also experiencing problems.
gang activity might be involved.
While the CRIPS may be more well-known, another L.A.-based gang
The Capt. assigned an officer full-time to tracking youth criminal acti
is equally as violent and is known to have established territorial rights on a
vities and compiling intelligence information to determine if there were
rival gang's turf because of lucrative drug markets. Called the Bloods, their
youth gangs operating within the precinct's boundaries, and the scope of
bitter rivalry with the CRIPS has targetted schools, parks, neighborhoods
their involvement.
and the streets of Watts for violent confrontations and shoot-outs, which
After two months of extensive research by Patrolman Neil Crannell,
more than once have resulted in killing innocent bystanders.
who was assigned to study youth gans in North/Northeast Portland, the
The latest shooting of an innocent victim was 9-year-old Deandra
Capt. was thoroughly convinced that there was a definite linkage between
Brown, who was killed in cross-fire between the two rival gangs while play
youth gangs and the increase in violent crimes and drugs in the area.
ing in a park on June 24th, 1987. A 17-year-old has been arrested on sus
Intelligence gathered also clearly showed that not only were violent
picion of murder in connection with the case. Los Angeles police estimate
crimes and drugs on the increase, but so were the gangs and gangs' mem
there are 15,000 CRIPS and Bloods (about 3-to-1 CRIPS) gang members
bership. Not only does Portland have a youth gang problem, but, as a new
who were involved in 325 killings last year, and L.A. prosecutors say they
element of crime in the area, it drains resources from an already over-taxed
expect more than 600 gang homocides this year.
Police Bureau and diminishes any realistic hope for a decline in this City s
According to police, the exact number of Bloods in Portland is un
crime statistics.
known, as with all gangs in the area.
According to police intelligence, there are currently seven youth gangs
The BGDN, or Black Gangster Disciple Nation, originates out of Chi
operating in the City of Portland. They are identified as; three Black gangs:
cago, but little is known about the gang's activities. Denver, Colorado,
CRIPS, Bloods, BGDN (Black Gangster Disciple Nation); one white group:
police report their city was visited by BGDN, and they may be more violent
PUSH (Portland Unified Skin Heads); two Vietnamese gangs: New Wave,
than the CRIPS and Bloods. They publicize their arrival with graffiti sym
and the other yet unknown; and one Loatian gang: Portland Sex Killers.
bols (pitchforks and the Star of David).
The more prominent of the seven are the CRIPS, who boast of five
The Portland Unified Skin Heads (PUSH), identified by police as a
different "families" or "sets": 1) .357 from Pamona, California; 2) Watts
"w hite supremacist" gang, is believed to have migrated from out of town.
Vario Grape Street set, L.A., California; 3) a "fam ily" from Fresno, Califor
Sporting shaven heads and all-black leather attire, their base of operations
nia; 4) Kitchen set and Rolling 60's set, L.A., California; and 5) 629, of un
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known origin.
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vice in Portland.
In the area of child care the Albina Ministerial Alliance
Family Day and Night Care has assisted thousands of families
with their child care needs as well as provide managerial sup
port for child care providers. Mrs. Corneta Smith, Director,
A .M .A . Family Day and Night Care Program, will announce
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our latest component.
In education, the Desegregation and Monitoring Commit
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tee has been instrumental in dismantling an unfair desegrega
tion plan, which arbitrarily bused our children. Our problem
now is to close the achievement gap between Black and White
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students.
I encourage Portlanders to volunteer with their neighbor
hood associations, local organizations and continue to help
low-income families, the unemployed and the uneducated.
We should assault apathy at every turn to keep the thorns
away from the City of Roses.
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Teen Parents and Families Wanted
For Teen Parents Support Group
Albina Ministerial Alliance (A.M .A.) Teen Parent Program is currently
recruiting teen parents and their families for support, advocacy and advi
sory groups.
These groups will address and provide parental education, pregnancy
intervention, prevention education, positive self-enhancement education,
community education regarding responsible sexuality and outreach to
youth at risk of early pregnancy.
"The overall goal of the project is threefold” , said Cardella Hopson,
Information and Referral Coordinator for the Teen Parent Program. "W e
want to reduce the number of teen-age pregnancies, provide parent educa
tion and support services to teen parents and assist parents of the teen
parent in order to maintain a strong family relationship and stable founda
tion for the teen parent and their children," Hopson explained.
For more information, call Cardella Hopson at 285-0493.
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