Streamwood gang forum's focus on communication

Jose Garcia hasn't seen gang violence first hand. But the Streamwood man knows it's there, of tagging on neighborhood property and of the recent shooting of a Streamwood High School student.

Garcia said he wants to do everything possible to make sure his only child, 6-year-old Alejandra, grows up safe.

He was one of the dozens of individuals who turned up to a community gang forum at Heritage Elementary School Thursday night.

The forum was sponsored by Elgin Area School District U-46, and prompted by the September shooting of 17-year-old Jess Outlaw.

Outlaw was shot twice while riding his bike near McKool and Miller avenues, according to police.

Streamwood Chief Al Popp and Deputy Chief James Gremo were on hand to talk about the department's efforts, and the tasks of its full-time gang and drug task force.

While Popp did not provide any statistics on the number of gang-related crimes that occurred in the village, he did supply information to attendees about area gang colors and signs, and encouraged them to keep close contact with the police department.

"If we accomplish nothing else tonight we need to open the channels of communication, to make sure you know how to get information to us and we can get it back to you," he said.

Calls can be confidential, he urged.

On the school side, District Safety Coordinator John Heiderscheidt spoke about the training staff members are receiving to recognize changes in behavior of students that might be joining gangs.

In the past three years, Heiderscheidt has established a school safety task force with local police departments, as well as reciprocal reporting agreements between the district's various communities and its schools.

"What a kid does in school is not a vacuum to what they do in the community," he said. Constant communication between various sectors is vital.

A similar forum was held in Hanover Park last spring after a series of gang-related shootings. That forum prompted more neighborhood watch groups in the village.

"Is it enough? No," Heiderscheidt said. "We need to keep working at this."