Northern Virginia is getting some extra help from the state in the increasingly difficult battle against gangs. Five localities — the counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William, and the city of Alexandria — will soon have a prosecutor in the commonwealth's attorney's office devoted to gang-related crimes. The state will provide the majority of funding, with the county contributing $15,000.
A region-wide effort against gangs is still a relatively novel development; just a year ago, a regional gang task force was formed.
Initially, the state's plan was to have three prosecutors plus two support staff for Northern Virginia, according to Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney James Plowman. The commonwealth's attorneys from all five localities rallied for five individual prosecutors, and they got their wish.
"This is a great way for us to stay ahead of the curve and not begin to address the problem after the problem," Plowman said.
Tracking gang-related crimes in Loudoun only began in 2003. That year, the Sheriff's Office recorded 34 gang-related cases, 16 of which were graffiti offenses, according to spokesman Kraig Troxell.
JUST BECAUSE there were only 34 crimes linked to gangs doesn't mean that gang activity isn't a serious concern in Loudoun, according to Sgt. Mark Poland.
"They're present. They've been present," said Poland, who is on the Sheriff's Office gang unit. "They've been around and they're definitely here."
The most recognized Northern Virginia gang name is Mala Salvatrucha 13, or MS-13, which represents 95 percent of all gang-related crimes in Fairfax County, according to an November 2003 FBI report. According to Poland, however, there are at least 18 different gangs operating in Loudoun.
The difficulty in monitoring gangs stems from the members' mobility. On one night, a group of gang members was under surveillance as it traveled from Herndon to Fairfax, finally ending up in Sterling, Troxell said.
"That one incident shows why the task force is so important," Troxell said. "These guys don't follow jurisdiction lines."
The new prosecutor will act as another step toward a comprehensive anti-gang movement in Northern Virginia.
"It's good to have someone that can specialize in one kind of crime," said Poland.
SINCE LOUDOUN does not yet have the magnitude of gang-related criminal activity as its neighbors to the east, Plowman expects the new prosecutor, who will be hired soon, will fulfill other duties.
"I don't expect this attorney will only be handling gang-related purposes," he said.
Still, Poland doesn't want to underestimate the strength of gangs in Loudoun, where quiet suburban and rural landscapes belie the prevalence of criminal activity.
"We may not have the numbers as far as L.A. or New York, but if you take the numbers we have identified in Loudoun County and put them with the quality of life in Loudoun County," he said, "we have a problem."