Avoid a gang mentality

Officials and parents should be concerned about any gang activity in town, and police should be open with the public regarding any incident in Brick that could be labeled "gang activity."

But inducing fear without educating the public could have as many ill effects as not publicizing the incidents at all.

Councilman Stephen C. Acropolis said some recent violent incidents involved gang members, but police say not all the incidents the councilman referred to were gang-related.

It's irresponsible to announce at a televised public meeting that a stabbing in town was a gang-related incident if authorities are not sure it is. But police shouldn't be covering up gang-related incidents because they want to avoid an ugly headline in the newspaper.

When the leader of a major gang organization like the Latin Kings is arrested in your suburban town, you can probably assume the man wasn't here for SummerFest.

Police Capt. Douglas Kinney said William Sosa was either hiding here or knew someone to stay with while he was on the lam. If a man whose nickname is "King Homicide" has a network that extends into Brick, you can bet there's probably at least one gang member living within Brick's borders.

While it's doubtful many Brick teenagers are gang members, mimicking the activities and wearing gang colors because it looks cool can prove to be just as dangerous to a teenager as being a gang member.

Officials should not take a "Reefer Madness" approach to gangs and gang activity in Brick, but providing some educational seminars for parents and teachers - and doing it soon - could go a long way in avoiding hysteria and keeping children safe.