In response to this alarming trend, law enforcement officials throughout Riverside County developed a countywide regional strategy for combating the increased gang activity occurring in our communities. The strategy is to combine resources from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to create eight (8) separate gang task force units across Riverside County. The strategy involves a three-prong approach involving prevention, intervention and suppression. The eight regions are supported by four crime analysts and eight office assistants.

Regional oversight and coordination of gang task force regions is accomplished by a two-tiered approach. Overall policy, resource allocation, and the coordination of each of the task force units is done through an overall governing board comprised of law enforcement department heads countywide. Local control of each task force unit is done through a regional board made up of supervisors and managers from those local agencies.

Parent to Parent Anti-Gang Resource Guide: This list was compiled by parents and interested individuals to assist families in finding support/resources in the community.  [Click here to view the information]  

Project Safe Neighborhoods
The Riverside County District Attorney's Office is fully dedicated and committed to reducing youth gang violence in our communities.  Our anti-gang efforts employ a multi-faceted approach that extends well beyond necessary and important traditional suppression strategies.  Community partnerships, education and awareness, and anti-gang prevention and intervention strategies are necessary components in any effort to successfully reduce youth gang participation.
           
Accordingly, a vital component to the Riverside County Gang Task Force is Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  Since 1995, PSN has:

Provided gang awareness and prevention training to hundreds of school educators and staff throughout Riverside County; Collaborated with the CYA (California Youth Authority) Parole and Operation New Hope to provide anti-gang and anti-delinquency presentations (using CYA parolee speakers) to faith-based organizations, youth groups, and youth detention facilities throughout Riverside County; Provided gang awareness and prevention presentations in Perris, San Jacinto, Riverside, and Banning; Collaborated with the Riverside County Arts Council to provide after-school arts programs; Partnered with Catholic Charities to provide counseling services and parent education courses to needy families; Partnered with community-based organizations to provide community resources fairs; Partnered with local school districts to provide at-risk youth with life skills and healthy choices classes, a school parent involvement program, school lunch-time activities programs, and youth mentoring programs.

Additionally, PSN participates in many community programs and collaborations such as the Riverside County Youth Summit, Corona Teen Talk, the Perris Shield Team, the Perris Red Team, the Riverside County Youth Anti-Stigma Youth Conference, the City of Riverside Youth Violence Prevention Policy Board, Coalition for Common Ground, Project Bridge, San Bernardino/Riverside Diocese Youth Leadership Conference, and the Riverside County Youth Accountability Team Program. 

Currently, PSN, is teaming up with local partners to explore launching a new program in western Riverside County that will provide intervention services to families with youth at-risk for gang criminality. 

The Coordinator for Project Safe Neighborhoods is Senior Deputy District Attorney Gerry Lopez.  Mr. Lopez is a seasoned Community Prosecutor and District Attorney community liaison specializing in youth intervention services.  To contact DDA Gerry Lopez, please call (951) 955-5400.