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47 members of the notorious Crips and Bloods street gangs were named in a civil court trial brought by the Harris County Attorney’s office. It sought for a permanent injunction to keep them away from an area known as the “East Aldine Safety Zone,” located east of Highay 59 and south of Bush Airport. Assistant County Attorney Celena Vinson says her request to keep the gang members from the safety zone was granted:
“It’s a huge effort by law enforcement mostly, said Vinson. We presented evidence in testimony that these 47 individuals were documented gang members and they’ve committed a crime in the safety zone.”
Part of the testimony came from law enforcement officials from the HPD and HCSO, on how documented gang activity has resulted in the increase assaults, burglary and thefts and narcotics-related offenses:
“This is our second hearing on the case, eight had previously shown up last time in March, said Vinson. Those eight agreed to the injunction not to go into the safety zone, which is about less than a half a mile, in the East Aldine area.”
The court order also prohibits the gang members from possessing materials for graffiti and communication devices including cell phones. Vinson says it also prohibits anyone from wearing clothing that identifies them as gang members while in the Safety Zone, a roughly 217 acre area near Bush Airport, that contains restaurats and retail stores for the nearby apartments and residential community:
“Unfortunately, this area has a high volume of gang crimes, said Vinson. Gang members who aren’t wanted there, who trespass, who make the life for the residents a problem.”
She says the gangs move their families to the area and forget how a lot of the kids try to be like them:
“Unfortunately, Haverstock Apartments is a very large complex, and they have children who are exposed to this culture, this gang problem and of course, they may idolize these individuals who are committing crimes. And so, it’s repetitive unfortunately, and we’re trying to stop it.”
Vinson says the County Attorney’s Office and the East Aldine Management District support the efforts of law enforcement to stem the tide of gang activity:
“It’s a case of trying to eliminate their power, said Vinson. When you have such a large concentration in an area where these two particular gangs, it was the Bloods and Crips, are able to be successful because of their numbers. The testimony, the evidence shows that if you can eliminate that power, that it’s better for everybody living there.”
Anyone caught violating the court order faces up to a year in jail and a 4-thousand dollar fine.