Quincy Police Department joins other agencies in gang task force

QUINCY - Quincy police are joining with other area agencies to

combat gang activity in Grant County.

The city council approved an agreement to join the Columbia Basin

Gang Task Force during a recent meeting.

QUINCY - Quincy police are joining with other area agencies to combat gang activity in Grant County.

The city council approved an agreement to join the Columbia Basin Gang Task Force during a recent meeting.

"The Quincy Police Department is taking the lead on this unique gang task force," Police Chief Richard Ackerman said. "Most agencies in this part of Eastern Washington don't have the resources to put out a full-blown task force, enforcing gang issues."

The sheriff's office and most of the chiefs in the county agreed to the task force, he said. The officers from the individual agencies will supply one officer a month to participate.

"We'll be out working gang issues county-wide," he said. "About 12 times a year, we'll have a force of officers working gang task force enforcement roughly 12, 14, maybe 16 officers, out there somewhere in the county working on gang issues."

The focus will be on county events where gang members cause problems, Ackerman said, pointing out the Grant County Fair.

He called part of the philosophy behind starting the force "ready, fire, aim," saying if the police spent all of their time planning, they wouldn't accomplish anything.

"The good part about this is we've received a lot of support early on from the Department of Corrections. The feds have asked if they can come in and join us. Spokane Police Department wants to come in and join us. It's a rather unique opportunity in this part of the state."

Since gangs are mobile, the task force will allow the agencies to focus on places gangs are causing problems, Ackerman said. The task force allows the agencies to gain information about the gangs.

The agreement states a sergeant will be in charge of the task force, he said. Quincy Sgt. Paul Snyder is leading the task force for the next year.

"This is agreed on by the chiefs and sheriff. It was their desire to have a good, strong supervisor, so that the officers in the gang task force have good direction and we provide proper supervision," he said. "Part of this will be training. There will be training opportunities for all these agencies and officers who come join us."