Salt Lake Tribune Article

North Salt Lake gets new gang officer
by Matthew D. LaPlante
Salt Lake Tribune

When Gina Catenzaro moved to North Salt Lake, she thought she was getting away from gang activity that plagued the west Salt Lake City neighborhoods where she once lived.

But during the past few years, Catenzaro and other residents of North Salt Lake's Foxboro neighborhood have noticed an increase in gang graffiti on the white vinyl fences that crisscross the fast-growing development on the city's far west side.

"It's not anything huge and there are no major crimes going on, but I think we all wanted to nip it in the bid before it gets too bad," said Catenzaro, an area coordinator for the Foxboro Neighborhood Watch.

North Salt Lake Police agree that's a good plan -- and a new stimulus grant of $175,750 will help the department support the costs of a full-time designated gang prevention officer.

The federal funding will cover the officer's salary, benefits, vehicle, equipment and training for two years. After that, the city will continue to fund the position, said police spokesman Mitch Gwilliam.

Gwilliam said a big part of the new officer's job will be assisting neighborhood watch groups, like the one in Foxboro.

"This is an enforcement position, but on a progressive level," Gwilliam said. "We want to help educate the public about the problem before it gets any worse than it is."

Gwilliam said the department is by no means overwhelmed with gang-related cases right now. "But we would be foolish to say we don't have a problem at all," he said.

Catenzaro believes the addition of a gang officer could be a deterrent to groups that have been pushed out of Salt Lake County during the past few years of dedicated enforcement there.
"If it scares some people off, then it would be worth it," she said.

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