N. Watch Block Captains Meeting

Last night was my final (hopefully) night of meetings. The meat of the meeting consisted of the usual...N.W. night out August 7. (First Tuesday of the month, as usual). As usual, they told us where to get blockades and permits to block off the streets for the gathering. Once again, dogs barking and that now Animal Control is under the P.D. (Call 911) D. Simmons gave the gang presentation. New gang in town, clashing with the old. We now have 3 major ones. Wh. Fence is the main one. Has to do with the fact that one city back when tried to fence off the gang instead of eliminating it. Then there are the G. Disciples and the L. Kings. Native American gangs are also on the move. New gang symbols as the police get used to the old ones. Alphabetical references. Ex: 11, 12. 11=L, 12=K. 74: 7=G, 4=D. New dress code. White t-shirt and khaki pants, plus the old with the numbers referencing. Basically nothing that you can't find when looking up your favorite anti-gang website. (Excuse all the abbreviations. If I don't abbreviate, I find myself the first reference in Google searches on these topics)

I talked with the guys afterwards and learned of the strategies de jour. Apparently an officer was supposed to contact me. Excuse my conceit, but I find it laughable that of all the captains at the meeting last night, I was the only one that wasn't contacted by their neighborhood officer contact. In a way, I feel like saying, what do you want to know?

Apparently after all the problems the city has had with the camera on 10th and Minnesota, they will not be putting any cameras up in my neighborhood. I extended an open invitation for any of the officers to come sit on my porch and watch the traffic. After this statement, one of the officers pointed to the number on the board for the traffic officers, and another one said, "no, she means drug traffic". Yes, I have been here for awhile and speeding cars are the least of our worries.

I mentioned some gang signs that I have seen in pictures of Brandon kids. D. Simmons had quite a bit to say about Brandon. For one, he arrested two sons of the school board president, and more affiliated with the same. He said that Brandon is very quiet about their large drug problem. People that are the creme de la creme of their school age groups are involved. Laura keeps telling J. that Sioux Falls is dangerous...

Another thing that I learned is some of the political stuff. For example, there are some on the pd that won't take cases that are small potatoes. Others, for example the rookies trying to prove themselves, will take anything. I need to e-mail one of the officers about the traffic I am seeing. Apparently I will be able to get a private number that I can call when the traffic gets heavy.