The negative influence these gang members have on our community requires that a united front be established in the form of a Gang Task Force. In 1994 there were 82 documented gang members prosecuted for felonies in Clark County Superior Court. In 1995 that number increased to 109, and gang experts predict that this number will continue to grow unless serious measures are taken to fight this ever expanding problem. Approximately five hundred gang members have been identified by law enforcement to be living in Clark County. These gang members claim approximately 50 different gang sets.
Gang members commit significant portions of the serious violent crime that occur in Clark County.
The increase in gang affiliation has not only affected law enforcement but it has also had a significant impact on other segments of our community, including schools, families and businesses. The Clark County juvenile facility is critically over crowded. Juvenile offenders, including gang offenders, often must be released due to lack of beds. Clark County is one of the few regions on the West Coast that has not had a Gang Task Force. In 1997 the Gang Task Force served over 20 Search Warrants on gang related crimes.