Costs multiply when prosecuting gang members
TRI CITIES -- KEPR is continuing our in-depth look at the cost of battling gangs here in the Tri Cities.
Millions of dollars are being spent in law enforcement to catch gang members and bring them into custody.
But once they're in jail, the expenses seem to multiply. And it's becoming a heavy burden on our local budgets.
Franklin County prosecutor Shawn Sant knows firsthand the impact of gang crime in our community.
He says, "Right now our case numbers are already where they were last year, for the entire year."
The cases are piling up, along with the expenses.
Sant tells Action News gang cases can be the most difficult to prosecute. Witnesses are often afraid to talk to police, for fear of retaliation. And that ultimately means the investigation takes longer and costs more money.
Just one gang-related homicide can cost up to a half-million dollars to prosecute -- the kind of extra money cities just don't have.
But authorities are trying to combat the problem by getting community members on their side. They work every day talking with residents, building trust among those they serve.
The hope is, if they're ever hear or see anything suspicious or illegal, they'll cooperate with police.
"We don't want our residents to be fearful," says Kennewick Police Sgt. Ken Lattin. "When we arrive, we want them to say, 'here's what I saw, here's what i know.'"
Grant money is also becoming a critical tool in the arsenal. Over the last 5 years, Kennewick Police alone have utilized more than 160-thousand dollars in grants. Last year, Franklin County used one to add a new Deputy prosecutor to focus on gang cases.
But even those funding sources are drying up. Still, officials say they're willing to lose a few battles, so they can win the war.
"I think our region pays a lot more in broken families," says Richland Police Captain Mike Cobb. It's in addictions, in property crimes, and incarceration. A lot of the negative sides of gang life."
And those negatives are what officials see as the real costs to this community.
Millions of dollars are being spent in law enforcement to catch gang members and bring them into custody.
But once they're in jail, the expenses seem to multiply. And it's becoming a heavy burden on our local budgets.
Franklin County prosecutor Shawn Sant knows firsthand the impact of gang crime in our community.
He says, "Right now our case numbers are already where they were last year, for the entire year."
The cases are piling up, along with the expenses.
Sant tells Action News gang cases can be the most difficult to prosecute. Witnesses are often afraid to talk to police, for fear of retaliation. And that ultimately means the investigation takes longer and costs more money.
Just one gang-related homicide can cost up to a half-million dollars to prosecute -- the kind of extra money cities just don't have.
But authorities are trying to combat the problem by getting community members on their side. They work every day talking with residents, building trust among those they serve.
The hope is, if they're ever hear or see anything suspicious or illegal, they'll cooperate with police.
"We don't want our residents to be fearful," says Kennewick Police Sgt. Ken Lattin. "When we arrive, we want them to say, 'here's what I saw, here's what i know.'"
Grant money is also becoming a critical tool in the arsenal. Over the last 5 years, Kennewick Police alone have utilized more than 160-thousand dollars in grants. Last year, Franklin County used one to add a new Deputy prosecutor to focus on gang cases.
But even those funding sources are drying up. Still, officials say they're willing to lose a few battles, so they can win the war.
"I think our region pays a lot more in broken families," says Richland Police Captain Mike Cobb. It's in addictions, in property crimes, and incarceration. A lot of the negative sides of gang life."
And those negatives are what officials see as the real costs to this community.
