(WBAP/KLIF) – The Texas Department of Public Safety has released the Texas Gang Threat Assessment, which was developed to give an overview of gang activity in Texas.
“This report provides an overview of gangs operating in Texas, which gives law enforcement important information to help protect our communities from these violent organizations,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “Gangs and their associates remain a significant threat to public safety in our state, not only because of their penchant for violence and criminal activity, but also their relationships with other criminal organizations, such as Mexican cartels.”
The assessment is based on the collaboration between law enforcement and criminal justice agencies across the state and nation. It details the state’s approach to evaluating gangs in order to identify which organizations represent the most substantial threat.
Region One in the assessment is made up of Northeast Texas, to include the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Region One’s most significant gangs for 2016 are Tango Blast of Dallas and Fort Worth, Sureños, Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, Bloods, and Crips. The largest and most active street gangs in Region One include Sureños, Crips, Bloods, and Latin Kings. The largest and most active prison gangs are the Dallas and Fort Worth cliques of Tango Blast, Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, and Aryan Circle. The Aryan Brotherhood of Texas and Aryan Circle maintain a strong presence east of Dallas in the Garland and Mesquite areas, while the Latin Kings have been increasingly active in northern Fort Worth and Denton. Law enforcement agencies around the region also report a significant presence of Gangster Disciples, MS-13, and Texas Syndicate. Officials in the Dallas-Fort Worth area note the presence of local gangs like the Eastside Homeboys and Varrio Northside. Among all convicted tier-ranked gang members entering into the TDCJ prison system during 2016, approximately 24 percent came from counties located in Region One, the same percent as 2015. Tango members represented nearly 32 percent of those convicted, with the Crips accounting for 21 percent.
The report shows that there are as many as 100,000 gang members across the state.
Copyright 2017. WBAP/KLIF News. All Rights Reserved.
