Police Announce Action Against Riverside-Area Gang (Sign On San Diego Aug. 24, 2007).

Police announce action against Riverside-area gang

3:55 a.m. August 24, 2007

RIVERSIDE – Local law enforcement officials are expected Friday to announce a "major operation" against a Riverside-area street gang implicated in numerous felonies, including robbery and murder.

Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco and Riverside Police Chief Russ Leach will hold a joint news conference at 2 p.m. to discuss details of planned actions against the East Side Riva gang, according to a statement released by the district attorney's office Thursday.

There was no direct mention of what the agencies have planned for the gang, and the statement referred only to a "major operation." But during a meeting with reporters Tuesday to talk about the District Attorney's new "College Academy," Pacheco confirmed his office would be filing an injunction against a local gang this week.

In June, Deputy District Attorney Jack Lucky said work was under way on a civil injunction against a 100-member street gang involved in a range of crimes, including murders, robberies, auto thefts and drug distribution and sales.

Lucky would not disclose the name of the gang.

He said the injunction would criminalize any type of assembly by the gang's members and would outlaw the wearing of gang insignia or clothing. Possessing weapons – or even graffiti implements – would be prohibited under the injunction, he said, and gang members would have to adhere to a curfew.

Penalties would include fines and imprisonment, according to Lucky.

Similar injunctions have been filed in the cities of San Bernardino and Victorville, with apparent success in reducing gang-related violence.

According to recent state-compiled crime statistics, 30 percent of all homicides in Riverside County in 2005 were gang-related. Riverside County Sheriff Bob Doyle says there are an estimated 11,000 gang members in the county.

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BS Ranch Perspective:

I think it is great that another gang is being brought down! If not a huge part of it for a while, that is great weakening a gang, and making them more vulnerable against their enemies is great since they will be able to loose there street credit and also what they call turf in the turf wars. Good Job Riverside!!

BS Ranch