According to the Norman Police Department, there are 108 different gang sets in Cleveland County, making its county gang count the fourth highest in Oklahoma.
Norman police detective Shawn Hawkins, the coordinator of the department’s gang intelligence unit, cited a 2007 study by Michael R. Wilds, a Northeastern State University professor, concluding that Oklahoma, Tulsa and Comanche Counties are the only Oklahoma counties with more gang sets than Cleveland County.
The study states that 11 percent of gangs in Oklahoma reside in Cleveland County.
Hawkins said there are gang crimes in Norman, but they mostly consist of smaller crimes like vandalism and drug possession, as opposed to larger, violent crimes.
“We don’t have the drive by shootings or the gang violence that Oklahoma City or Tulsa, or to a certain extent Lawton have,” Hawkins said.
Norman Police Capt. Leonard Judy said the gang problem in Norman is not as bad as it could be.
“There is not as large a gang problem in Norman, as you would expect to find in the third largest city in the state,” Judy said.
The study also states that when combined Oklahoma City and Tulsa account for about 59 percent of the gang sets in Oklahoma, but both cities have more than three times the population of Norman. Oklahoma City has 400,000 more people than Norman.
According to the study, Oklahoma City and Tulsa police departments are more sophisticated at recognizing and tracking gang-related criminal activity. The study states that both agencies have specialized gang units, which are primarily responsible for identifying and apprehending gang-related criminals.
Oklahoma City Police Department Sgt. Paco Balderrama said gang-related crimes present a significant problem for Oklahoma City police.
“It is widespread, and we have several areas of town that are affected,” Balderrama said.
He said the Oklahoma City police have documented 3,800 gang members in the city, and the department’s gang unit employs two sets of officers on patrol every night.
Hawkins said the Norman Police Department’s gang intelligence unit, which was formed within the last two years, employs two patrol officers during each of the three daily patrol shifts. These officers deal with several gang sets, including outlaw motorcycle gangs, the Bloods gang, the Crips gang and the Insane Clown Posse gang.
Hawkins said the department deals with sets from the Insane Clown Posse gang, which consists mostly of high-school-age members.
Joe Siano, Norman Public Schools superintendent, said the district has not had a significant number of gang-related problems.
“We haven’t found any specific incidences that are gang-related that are also school-related,” Siano said.
Hawkins said he thinks the Norman Police Department has the gang problem in Norman under control.
“When somebody tries to stand up and draws attention to themselves and tries to be the big bad gang member, the Norman Police Department pays attention to that,” he said.
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JWade 3 years, 5 months ago
Yeah.... the 405 ...... four show ..... Four Show.
CHYAYAYAYAYA-JIHAD.
We roll together. We did together, EN. Bad Boys for Life.
...this sh*t just got real.
chas036 3 years, 5 months ago
The Plug Uglies are in here and now
JJanowiak 3 years, 5 months ago
Insane Clown Posse gang?! I hope they enjoy a planned life of mediocrity and failure.
EN 3 years, 5 months ago
I put it down for the 405.
Chyayah.
libertarian 3 years, 5 months ago
keep waiting for the wu tang clan to make an appearance...
Bubba 3 years, 5 months ago
Oh, but just wait, dear readers. The City of Norman and our Chamber of Commerce are greedily laying the grid-work for gangs to really take hold. With too much poor-paying retail jobs, and high rents due to college demand, much of Norman may fall prey to the lure of gang-life.
If quick, cheap, and easy money is to be had from big box chains, Norman is like a pig at the trough. Consequences are sure to arise from these arrangements who have benefitted the few and taxed the many.
Bubba
monsterman92 2 years, 10 months ago
This Nompton, we straight G Thuggin up in her