Within the big picture story of decades of downward crime rates, one aspect of street life that the NYPD continues to grapple with is the lure of gangs.

Responding to a growing concern over increased gang activity in the north Bronx neighborhoods Deputy Inspector Thomas J. Alps, commanding officer of the 52nd Precinct, said “gangs are a big problem in the Five-Two.”

In an ongoing effort to counter gang life, and root it out of neighborhoods, the precinct invited members of the NYPD Bronx Gang Squad to a summit at the Bronx Library Center on July 3.  The meeting included a slideshow and Q&A session informing parents, children, and residents what to look out for if they suspect their children are being roped into gang life. In some cases, children as young as 12 are being recruited.

Among the signs mentioned were a child consistently dressing in certain colors preferred by some gangs, a student suddenly struggling with schoolwork, and the use of certain social media phone apps to conceal private communications from parents.

The notorious Bloods, Crips, and Trinitarios gangs are among the most active groups in the Fordham and Bedford Park neighborhoods with the use of their individual colors, red, blue, and lime green, respectively.

There are, however, smaller groups of gangs throughout the north Bronx that stake claim to certain streets such as the gang Mosholu Money Over Bitches (MMOB) that was busted in April 2017 for operating a drug operation mostly on Knox and Gates places in Norwood.

As intense as gang rivalries can get, Sgt. Leo Nugent, who led the presentation, revealed that sometimes they do work together.  “Bloods and Crips will work together if there’s money in it for both of them,” said Nugent.  “After the crime, they go back to hating each other.”

Social media apps are often serve as the tool of communication for gangs, according to Nugent. He highlighted messaging apps including Whisper, Skout, and Grindr, and even the dating app Tinder, as frequently used apps. The use of emojis has also become a new shorthand for gangs to communicate their affiliation. One example in the slide presentation showed the emojis of a person in a wheelchair, a faucet with a glass of water, a non-descript person and the letter “P” to collectively signify “CRIP.”

Parents are cautioned to not look at any one sign as proof of gang involvement by a child but instead to see the whole spectrum of behavior as raising concern.

Helping kids stay away from gangs is not just a matter of constant supervision of their social media habits.  The Gang Squad promotes Active, Communicate, and Educate (ACE).

In general, parents are encouraged to take a more active role in their children’s lives if they hope to counter some of the allure of gang life.  The Gang Squad reminds parents of the importance of having conversations with kids that include listening and offering praise.

Even when kids do the right thing and reject joining a gang, recruitment efforts can rattle some families.  One young man at the summit shared his story of being recruited as a high school student by a neighborhood gang even though he never expressed interest in them.  Inspector Alps promised to help the young man who preferred remaining anonymous to the Norwood News.

For other kids that do end up in gangs, it is the sense of being heard and appreciated, at least in the early stages, that lures them in.  Though the initial pitch for a gang promotes a family-like environment it is oftentimes followed by violent initiation rites.

The Gang Squad shared videos, prefaced with a warning of violent content involving minors, with the audience of about 35 attendees showing beatings meant to initiate new gang members or as a disciplinary response to those that break gang code.

Rather than scare off new members with these beatings, it brings a sense of belonging, responsibility, and structure according to the presenters at the summit.

One reason the Gang Squad promotes the ACE program in their outreach efforts is to engage a broader community beyond the immediate family.  Jayson Gonzalez works within the Bronx community helping young people find organizations such as Neighborhood Benches which helps break cycles of violence in families by promoting positive role models and teaching leadership skills.

“I liked what I heard tonight,” Gonzalez said after the summit.  “But our communities need more involvement from parents, teachers, and organizations.  We can’t just leave it up to the police to fix these problems.”

Gonzalez’s words were echoed by some of the people who waited after the meeting to speak with Inspector Alps and the Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCO) present with their concerns.  Alps encouraged the public’s input.  “It’s the police working with the community together in a proactive manner through education to stop the youths being attracted to these gangs,” said Alps.

The multi-faceted approach to help kids reject gang life is seen as critical by those in the front lines of the campaign.  Sgt. Nugent from the gang squad, gave a stark message to parents.  “We’re here today to help you reach your kids before we do” Nugent said.