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"On the fringes" is how authorities are defining teenagers who consider themselves gang members in Churchill County.
Chief Juvenile Probation Officer De Vere Karlson said the gang members in the county now are on the edge of becoming full-fledged members. These children or teenagers, she said, wear gang colors and tag or spray paint things to mark their territory.
And tagging, according to the Churchill County Sheriff's Office, has been increasing in Churchill County in the last three months.
Chief Juvenile Probation Officer De Vere Karlson said the gang members in the county now are on the edge of becoming full-fledged members. These children or teenagers, she said, wear gang colors and tag or spray paint things to mark their territory.
And tagging, according to the Churchill County Sheriff's Office, has been increasing in Churchill County in the last three months.
"It has to do with the summer vacation," said Capt. Jay Horsley of the Churchill County Sheriff's Office, adding that is when juveniles have more time on their hands.
"They deface to deface," he said.
Karlson said there have been some fights in the area that authorities have linked to animosity between opposing gang members.
"They deface to deface," he said.
Karlson said there have been some fights in the area that authorities have linked to animosity between opposing gang members.
"We see them more engaged in destruction of property and fighting," she said.
Gangs are defined as a group of two or more people who have a uniform, a hierarchy or a territory. Common activities street gangs engage in include drug trafficking or trading guns. To be entrenched in a gang, a wannabe gang member must commit a crime.
Karlson said that is not the problem in Fallon, and local officials deal mostly with graffiti.
Horsley said almost all gang activity in the area revolves around spray painting a business, sign, residence or bridge.
Gangs are defined as a group of two or more people who have a uniform, a hierarchy or a territory. Common activities street gangs engage in include drug trafficking or trading guns. To be entrenched in a gang, a wannabe gang member must commit a crime.
Karlson said that is not the problem in Fallon, and local officials deal mostly with graffiti.
Horsley said almost all gang activity in the area revolves around spray painting a business, sign, residence or bridge.
He said the CCSO is not observing gangs doing anything that is illegal besides tagging.
Horsley credits the small size of the community and its involvement for this, and some of the taggers are taking it on their own to deface property individually.
While some police agencies consider tagger groups to be gangs, they most commonly call themselves a tagging crew.
Horsley credits the small size of the community and its involvement for this, and some of the taggers are taking it on their own to deface property individually.
While some police agencies consider tagger groups to be gangs, they most commonly call themselves a tagging crew.
Churchill County Sheriff Rich Ingram said gang issues, which consist mostly of tagging in the area, ebb and flow. When activity increase,s there is an emphasis placed on it with the county's gang unit.
The CCSO and its officers watch for people who may be wearing the blue colors that are often affiliated with gangs in Northern Nevada. Red is the color gangs prefer in Southern Nevada.
Assistant High School Principal Grace Hess, when talking about dress codes last week, mentioned the colors that many students were wearing, convincing her many were using their clothes to show ties with gangs.
"It's a territorial thing," Karlson said when talking about graffiti. She added that nicknames and gang symbols on buildings, walls and signs are the most prevalent.
The CCSO and its officers watch for people who may be wearing the blue colors that are often affiliated with gangs in Northern Nevada. Red is the color gangs prefer in Southern Nevada.
Assistant High School Principal Grace Hess, when talking about dress codes last week, mentioned the colors that many students were wearing, convincing her many were using their clothes to show ties with gangs.
"It's a territorial thing," Karlson said when talking about graffiti. She added that nicknames and gang symbols on buildings, walls and signs are the most prevalent.
"Most of the kids we see are on the fringes of it," she said.
More than 10 years ago, there was an issue in the area with gang members committing serious offenses. The sheriff's office started its gang unit in 1991 in response to serious crimes that were occurring, including a drive-by shooting.
When a gang member leaves his or her nickname behind, it helps law enforcement track the person.
More than 10 years ago, there was an issue in the area with gang members committing serious offenses. The sheriff's office started its gang unit in 1991 in response to serious crimes that were occurring, including a drive-by shooting.
When a gang member leaves his or her nickname behind, it helps law enforcement track the person.
"Often, in a few weeks we figure it out," Karlson said.
The chief juvenile probation officer thinks the school district does a good job in preventing students from wearing gang colors, and added the CCSO and the Fallon Police Department keep a close eye on this type of activity.
When a location is tagged in the city limits, it will be abated within 24 hours. When a place outside the county is defaced, it will be fixed within a week.
Starting Monday, the state is imposing harsher punishments for taggers, which include a fine of up to $1,000, though Horsley added that the county already has a similar sanction in place.
The chief juvenile probation officer thinks the school district does a good job in preventing students from wearing gang colors, and added the CCSO and the Fallon Police Department keep a close eye on this type of activity.
When a location is tagged in the city limits, it will be abated within 24 hours. When a place outside the county is defaced, it will be fixed within a week.
Starting Monday, the state is imposing harsher punishments for taggers, which include a fine of up to $1,000, though Horsley added that the county already has a similar sanction in place.
