In Palm Bay, we have gangs that are exclusively Black, exclusively Hispanic, and exclusively White. However, the majority of the gangs are racially mixed. Gang members are sometimes armed. They carry an assortment of weapons ranging from sticks and baseball bats to semi-automatic firearms. Why Kids Join Gangs 1.
Kids join in an attempt to obtain safety from the violence.
Intimidation techniques range from extorting lunch money to physical assault. Increased violent crimes of gangs have demanded legislative attention in the past three years. Florida passed the Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act of 1990. Palm Bay does not have a serious gang problem. The emerging gang problems have been recognized and are being dealt with effectively by the Police Department's Street Crime Officers, Neighborhood Policing Coordinators, and uniformed Patrol Officers.