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State Unveils Plan To Disrupt Gang Activity

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 25, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Florida is broadening its law enforcement efforts to slow down the increasing number of gangs roaming Florida streets and neighborhoods, Attorney General Bill McCollum said Tuesday.

He wants to zero in on gang members in prison to try to rehabilitate them.

"My understanding is that when they leave state prison, many of these become the leaders of the gangs that they came from," McCollum said. "They go back and reseed those gangs, grow them again, operate them and that's a big problem."

Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell said interrupting access to weapons and drugs would take away gangs' ability to recruit and grow.

"Law enforcement will take an offensive stance when interacting with gang members by serving search warrants and making arrests," Campbell said.

Legislators also recently established harsher penalties for habitual offenders convicted of gang-related crimes.

The Associated Press

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