Texas fighting gangs

Last year the Texas Gang Threat Assessment, an annual report produced for the governor and the Legislature by the Department of Public Safety, found that gangs “continue to represent a significant public safety threat” in the state and “are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in our communities.”

The assessment also concluded that Texas-based gangs and their associates are active in human smuggling and human trafficking, “which often includes sex trafficking and compelling prostitution of adult and minor victims.”

To combat the problem, the Criminal Justice Division announced a grant of $1.2 million to the city of North Richland Hills to create the state’s second multi-agency center to fight gangs. The North Texas Anti-Gang Center, which will replicate one started in Houston three years ago, will cover an 11-county area.

In a statement following the announcement, Gov. Greg Abbott said, “We must do more to crack down on gang activity and prevent organized crime from taking root across Texas, and this grant is a crucial step toward that goal.”

With a planned third center in far South Texas, the state is mounting a serious effort to confront this growing menace to society.

This story was originally published February 27, 2015 at 7:18 PM with the headline "Texas fighting gangs."