May 16, 2012

SandBoxBlogs: GarCo Public Info "Glenwood Springs Gang Presentation by TAG (Threat Assessment Group) Tuesday 5-22-12 "

SandBoxBlogs has been a busy place for the past few weeks.  My daily news aggregate sometimes has me skimming just the highlights.  As a result, I've skated on checking the less frequent posting sites.

Looks like I've missed a few press releases out of GarCo Sheriff.

Do have to wonder why we're not seeing the PI publishing these events.  See related story here.

Public Service Annoncement, Garfield County Sheriff:
"Community Education on Gangs and Their Local Impacts: 
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. – On Tuesday, May 22, 2012 a Threat Assessment Group (TAG) specialist from the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting a community education session on local gang issues. The event will start at 11:00 a.m. in the Glenwood Springs Community Center at 100 Wulfsohn Road Glenwood Springs.  The presentation will cover what TAG is and does; why kids join gangs; identification of symbols, signs, graffiti and tattoos; and recent gang activity and associated impacts in the local area. There will be a follow-on question and answer session for concerned citizens, parents, guardians and teachers.  This educational session is open to the public and is free-of-charge. Similar events have been highly beneficial in helping citizens better understand current gang trends and how to best address the threats in their neighborhoods, schools and communities. 

This presentation is not recommended for Children.  

For more information, please contact TAG Sergeant Kim Sills at ksills@garcosheriff.com 970-309-2521 or TAG Deputy James Miller at or jmiller@garcosheriff.com 970-309-4920

# # #

Threat Assessment Group, otherwise known as TAG, is a multijurisdictional Team comprised of local law enforcement.  The Threat Assessment Group has designed an educational and interactive power point presentation in both Spanish and English and has presented it to community groups throughout the county. These presentations educate the community on what to look for and how to respond to gang activities and/or suspicions.  They also open up an opportunity for community members to interact with law enforcement and form a union with the common goal of combating gang activity...."
(Read original release?  Click title)

"Unapologetic pursuit and tracking of patterns within the news others make since 2010."

12 comments:

glenwoodsprings22 said...

Good to see Lou doing this. He should send it out on the sheriff's alert system, put it on radio and all tv stations. Because relying on press releases doesn't seem to be working. Have the SRO's specific invite teaching staff in the schools and then put it out again to the radios when it gets closer to the date. This is the kind of information a lot of people have been wanting to know. No kids advised so adults can ask the real questions on everyone's mind. I'd like to see all the elected bodies like councils and commissioners show up. Get the real info from the source that knows.

hotmama said...

A very good move from Lou.

sumfu said...

tx for this nanny. no time and forget to check anything besides the newspaper.

hammerandnails said...

Not sure what to think on some of Lou's approaches anymore. Appearances on a lot of topics that the folks care about seem to be missing his mark recently. He's got my full support as always but seems to me that he needs to come down from the over-reach of impossible standards for real life and start giving credibility to the fact that he just might not be right in a lot of areas. With gang info, we're long, long overdue. Bunk that they don't want to let out too much for fear of puffing up the chests of a few bangers. They're getting the jump on him and sticking a few deputies out there listening to the chatter finally still doesn't cure his real big problem that he's only got 5 women showing up at a public mtg. and had worse showing when CIRC was bullying the folks. Don't get me wrong, he's got all my support that he's had for years. It's just that credibility isn't always found in human nature and sainthood in principles of running the SO to that standard isn't what the folks care most about. First concern is safety for all and understanding what our needs are. Garco sheriff has some work to do on the latter. Glad to see this mtg. Long, long overdue.

mandy said...

We're on vacation surrounding all of Memorial day so we'll miss this. I'll take the position of better late than not and agree with 22 that it would be really nice to see better information passing by Sheriff dept. to the adults in the county. They could easily take advantage of putting information we can study right into our own hands and then use the Garfield alert notification to keep posted on TAG and gang activity. That's a registered program and straight to our cells and voice mails. How difficult can it really be instead of public meetings that are tough to get to and tough to attend to come direct to the adults with TAG and gang info? That only has to be done once and then use the alert system or some kind of sign up system for emails and info releases. We already pay for those info systems through our tax dollars. I'm glad to see this mtg. but can't be there. Want our boots on the ground out on the ground and using more efficient means of communicating by using what we already have in place and pay for. Thank you to Garco Sheriff for putting this meeting on. Stay the course.

WingMan said...

They're cops. They want to see us, stare us down with a preference to lining up all attendees and taking our prints and DNA at the door. just sayin. just kidding don't tag my truck. I need to scream up and down 82 at a significant rate of speed at certain times of the day. Besides everybody knows Lou Vallario isn't a technology kind of guy but does have real suspicions on tech reliability to his communities. He's not a politician either. Problem is that he's never been able to breach the barrier to getting his info on anything out. That's a political problem. I hear the new publisher of the PI hails from Greeley and the Tribune. Greeley's no slouch when it comes to drugs, gangs and bizarre crime like we're seeing. News doesn't cover it up in Greeley. Granted they have one of the good district attorney's in Ken Buck who's trusted and respected with a really good performance record and a police dept that has a zero tolerance policy. Politics doesn't factor when it comes to reporting crime up there. Law enforcement's supported. Fact remains that Lou needs to really take a hold of getting something in place that works because his people need it. Not because of politics.

Anonymous said...

I agree with what you all are saying and I think Mandy's idea is great.

One problem is that there have been at least 7 or 8 of these gang presentations given throughout the county in the last couple of years and most of the time there are very few people attending.

I think that alot of times if its not affecting people personally at that moment in time they are too busy just living their lives.Thats why there were 5 people at the public safety meeting it was personally affecting those certain people.

Again I think Mandy's idea would be very productive and I believe there will be many more presentations throughout the summer so hopefully you can make one. I do know that they have given presentations to many of the different schools staff and organizations. All you have to do is contact them and they will work to set one up. Have a neighborhood get together or friends come over and they will come talk with the citizens.

I think more is happening that people know but I agree the word is not getting out

gws44 said...

If they'll do more discreet and private meetings in a closer and less public way that is a very good idea. I think they also need to grab BOCC and all city councils by the ear and force make them pay attention. And ask them some hard questions privately on where more funding is, why media support is being allowed to get away with what they do. Those are the elected powers, anonymous and they can influence heavily a lot of things that would help the problems. No public allowed just a real confab come to papa meeting with all of them. People know a lot more than they're letting on and somehow this communication problem has to get halted and straightened out. It's a lot to think about for sure. So it's said somewhere. Yes, smalltown realizes we hold a lot of influence and could be helpful in getting maybe some private gatherings together. I'll run it up the flagpole, there's a lot going on.

FCE said...

I think they're good ideas too. I think Lou does need to sit down with the new publisher and have a good talk. It's true what's being said about Greeley crime reporting and the overall respect for law enforcement. We've got the best cops and agents anywhere around and that needs to be shown respect. We've never enjoyed that peace of mind because of the local media we have.

What TAG meetings in the past? There isn't any way that people with busy lives can put up with the information being kept from us. I don't doubt that the SO is putting it out but from there it's not going anywhere. The use of the alert system is a good one. I think the use of a secure login website is another one. Trouble is with both those things is that people don't know how to trust. That violation (it's not cops fault) is the worst because trust and a feeling of security that there won't be backlash isn't something you can run out and pick up a prescription for or that one thing done by authorities is going to fix. Tough call that one. I like the idea of closed gatherings. I agree with the hunk and 44 that it's going to have to be felt out first for everyone's present needs.

zgnative said...

What is so upsetting for me, from Aspen to Garfield county is the suppression. The first and foremost concern of any law enforcement officer or any elected or hired official should be the ultimate caring for of the people.

We are good people who do all we can to be respectful where respect is warranted. When it comes to our police we give of all we have with our votes, beliefs and our trust.

The suppression of information that has anything to do with our lives is practiced every day in the Roaring Fork Valley. We have a county sheriff and elected officials culture in Pitkin that goes so far as to cultivate the encouragement of things such as the drugs and social manipulating that are so harmful to everyone. We have newspapers that have far too much power. Just the closing of chat hubs or online mail as Andrew calls micro-blogging with years of abuses allowed by the same hands that finally protected themselves from a certain cease and desist notification served upon their employer, by closures is reprehensible behavior. To suppress, deny and then cover data is wrong on so many levels.

Trust is a right of the people. When that trust is not protected by the very hands that want our trust we have ultimately..nothing. I have very serious concerns more for this subject than any information about gangs and drugs. I know I have my police in my town that will come if I am in the way of harm. Whether or not I fully trust them with my sense of self when they do is quite another situation. It's a very sad state of affairs.

Anonymous said...

All valid points and well worth our sheriff looking into thoroughly.

glenwoodsprings22 said...

All of it and the problems we've got under the surface of this valley is something smalltown7 cares a lot about. Anybody that's remembering the Sonya Hemmen months might remember that one of us was shown and the backlash to his young family was significant. Lesson learned that until the problem that created small is under control our support of certain things and people has to be support that looks after our own too. Nothing my family, friends and me would like better than to be participating in TAG info meetings. Public or private. And drumming up supporters for those meetings and the gang control effort. But right now we're really close to finally getting under control the cause that's nearest to us and people we care about. Just like some others with other needs have to stay the course, so do we. This TAG meeting should be something that everybody comes to. Lou needs to round up all the city councils and commissioners and make those calls himself. Put some boots on the ground today and tomorrow when they're out there on duty and have them stop in to businesses that can get the word out. If the press isn't there from all newspapers, radio and tv then maybe the time's come that our commissioners start asking why not. It's ridiculous that the folks have to beg to get heard. BOCC and council's can push some power and displeasure and straighten out a lot of things when it comes to media. Come to think of it, why are our public tax dollars like lodging taxes being given huge contracts every year to newspapers like the PI that don't have all county and city interests at heart? Said it before that when nobody special at all like myself and nails can pull up to the gas pumps and even the illegals know who glenwoodsprings22 and hammerandnails are, it's a sad, sad day for reporters in this valley. That's been the set bar now for over a year. We've got serious gang issues that are in early enough stages we can beat them and drive them out. Cops can't do that alone. If you can make this meeting then make it. If you can't then make the next one until it's done. Borders that aren't secured = inhumane treatment of illegal foreign nationals getting across into the US. illegals = undocumented and high proportions of crime. That's fact not bigotry. Cartels feed their bank accounts and cash by human trafficking and drugs. To get that hook in american citizens they're predators on the vulnerable and gangs, prostitution of all ages and genders and drug trafficking are the number one priority. Cops can't do it alone.