WASHINGTON 鈥斅燭he Montgomery County Council voted Tuesday 9-0 to approve a supplemental budget that could help thwart gang activity in the county.
The budget approved Tuesday聽would add $597,000 to the police department and $246,000 to the State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 Office.
Phil Andrews, with the Montgomery County State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 Office told the council members in Tuesday afternoon鈥檚 hearing that the vote聽“will enable the State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 office to hire three additional assistant state鈥檚 attorneys and a senior legal assistant in order to address the substantial gang problem that we have.鈥�
Andrews explained that there have been 20 murders tied to gang activity in the past two years.
Andrews told the council members the additional prosecutors are needed because 鈥済ang homicides, in particular, are very complicated because of the number of suspects charged who may be involved.鈥�
Before the taking the vote, council members agreed that the supplement was needed, but several members said more needed to be done. Council President Roger Berliner talked about the escalating violence involved in gang recruitment. Berliner said potential recruits are sometimes told that if they don鈥檛 join MS-13, a gang with roots in Central America, the potential recruits’ family in their home country could be killed.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 a young person to do in that circumstance?鈥� asked Berliner.
Council member Craig Rice said some residents have come to live in fear of the gang鈥檚 outreach to young children.
鈥淗igh school students are volunteering to walk elementary students home in the afternoons to make sure that they get home safe and they aren鈥檛 intimidated by gang members trying to recruit them鈥� said Rice.
Council member Marc Elrich, who chairs the council鈥檚 public safety committee, agreed with his colleagues that the efforts to combat gangs has to expand.
鈥淚 share everybody else鈥檚 feeling that this has to be a multipronged approach.鈥�
Noting the regional connections that gangs have, Elrich urged his colleagues to push ahead without waiting for other jurisdictions to act.
鈥淚 think we know what we need to do鈥� he said.
