Are there any gang/ tagging problems in Albany/ Corvalis/ Lebanon areas? (Portland: houses, crime)

[Imperial1904]

Originally Posted by TheShoeboxDiaries541

Norteno (Northern Hispanic) gangs have active sets in McMinnville, Corvallis, Salem, Woodburn, Molalla, Albany, Lebanon, Hillsboro, Kaizer, Portland (east), Gresham and The Dalles.

In Southern Oregon and Eugene, it's the bloods (i.e Barnett B-Riders) and the crips (i.e Rolling 30's Boyz), as well as some hispanic (Eugene) and biker (medford) gangs mixed in.

Eastern Oregon is hispanic gangs, very limited activity, only in Pendelton and Ontario.

The Oregon coast has little to no gang activity.

Are you basing this on taggings and hearsay or are they actually documented by the police departments?

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by TheShoeboxDiaries541

Eastern Oregon is hispanic gangs, very limited activity, only in Pendelton and Ontario.

I wouldn't say that Eastern Oregon gang activity is only in Pendleton and Ontario. Here in Baker City a gang of Red Hat Ladies is very active, often trying to take over bingo nights at the senior citizen center.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hat_Society

[Imperial1904]

Originally Posted by karlsch

I wouldn't say that Eastern Oregon gang activity is only in Pendleton and Ontario. Here in Baker City a gang of Red Hat Ladies is very active, often trying to take over bingo nights at the senior citizen center.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hat_Society

LOL I stand corrected. Apparently the gang activity in Oregon is epidemic.

[TheShoeboxDiaries541]

Originally Posted by Imperial1904

Are you basing this on taggings and hearsay or are they actually documented by the police departments?

A little of both I guess. I know the nortenos in northern oregon are known by law enforcement, as well as some of the more active blood and crip gangs throughout the rest of the state. Biker gangs are always being closely watched by LE here in Medford. As far as eastern oregon, I've only heard from residents that both pendleton and ontario have hispanic gangs. I don't know how active they are or what sets they belong to, and (as far as I know) neither does LE.

[Imperial1904]

Originally Posted by TheShoeboxDiaries541

A little of both I guess. I know the nortenos in northern oregon are known by law enforcement, as well as some of the more active blood and crip gangs throughout the rest of the state. Biker gangs are always being closely watched by LE here in Medford. As far as eastern oregon, I've only heard from residents that both pendleton and ontario have hispanic gangs. I don't know how active they are or what sets they belong to, and (as far as I know) neither does LE.

Being watched by LE is different than documenting them. If a city has injunctions and actual documented gangs (and gang members), that's a pretty good sign of legit gang activity. From what I can tell, whether it's Klamath Falls, Medford, Coos Bay, or Eugene, I have not seen any sign on gang activity other than tagging (which really doesn't mean much these days).

[TheShoeboxDiaries541]

Originally Posted by Imperial1904

Being watched by LE is different than documenting them. If a city has injunctions and actual documented gangs (and gang members), that's a pretty good sign of legit gang activity. From what I can tell, whether it's Klamath Falls, Medford, Coos Bay, or Eugene, I have not seen any sign on gang activity other than tagging (which really doesn't mean much these days).

Rarely, if ever, will LE waste resources to give every suspected gang member or set a formal folder of documentation. LE has openly stated that they are aware of gang activity across ORE and are combating it to the best of their ability, BUT, this isn't southern california. If you're looking for pages of documentation and a well funded street gang task force, you're in the wrong state.

[DMarie87]

I understand that L.A., Chicago, NY City, et al have much worse gang problems than Salem (Willamette Valley) but my comment was in response to someone who initially asked if Salem had a gang problem. Yes, we do...and it's growing. Right now it seems our biggest challenge is keeping kids disinterested in gangs so our kids don't fall victim and so the gang population grows much more slowly.

Sadly, our state's economy has been mishandled FOREVER so our police force and amount of jail space have been much too low for the rate of our population growth. Oregon is so stinking liberal that we'll likely be stuck with "tax & spend" liberals for yet another decade. Thank you Portland voters.

This is a tangent, but it irritates me so much that metropolitan voters who have never even tried on cowboy boots...much less milked a cow...are the ones ultimately making decisions about the rest of the state...farms, forestry, livestock, etc... I know Oregon is not alone in this situation.

Ok, I've vented and feel better now.

[DMarie87]

Meth is a HUGE problem in Western Oregon...although noticable strides have been made in the past couple years through the efforts of laws and law enforcement. Police have shut down numerous meth labs and done a great job educating the public about the sites and "smells" of labs...so people have been able to help more with reporting suspicious activity. It seems that teachers/school district employees have been part of the success too. They (we) get to know kids and can often detect signs that kids might be in a meth home.

I'm not sure how much of the meth is handled by gangs versus non-gang but if there's money to be made in meth...my guess is that gangs have their hands in the pot to some extent.

[seven of nine]

Originally Posted by DMarie87

I understand that L.A., Chicago, NY City, et al have much worse gang problems than Salem (Willamette Valley) but my comment was in response to someone who initially asked if Salem had a gang problem. Yes, we do...and it's growing. Right now it seems our biggest challenge is keeping kids disinterested in gangs so our kids don't fall victim and so the gang population grows much more slowly.

Sadly, our state's economy has been mishandled FOREVER so our police force and amount of jail space have been much too low for the rate of our population growth. Oregon is so stinking liberal that we'll likely be stuck with "tax & spend" liberals for yet another decade. Thank you Portland voters.

This is a tangent, but it irritates me so much that metropolitan voters who have never even tried on cowboy boots...much less milked a cow...are the ones ultimately making decisions about the rest of the state...farms, forestry, livestock, etc... I know Oregon is not alone in this situation.

Ok, I've vented and feel better now.

I agree with you 100%. It's all about greed and money, they want the cheap labor that the minorities bring in but then do not deal with the isssues created, LE, crowed schools lack of affordable housing, it is a real mess!

[seven of nine]

Originally Posted by Logan's Dad

Is there any of that in that area?

I live in the central valley of CA and it is getting quite bad here with gang issues and tagging (spraypainting territory).

read the article in the Oregonian today 12-23-07 about drug dealers in Oregon, this is the problem and the lack of LE to deal with it and the lack of Judges wanting to enforce the law