Sheriff's offices, FBI team up to combat gangs

UNDATED - The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office has teamed up with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and the FBI to combat the growing threat of gangs.

The gang task force will consist of two deputies from each of the sheriff's offices who will work with FBI agents to collect gang intelligence in both counties, Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton said. Paxton added the task force will take a proactive role to deter gang activity and will also be available to provide gang education to local schools upon request.

FBI agents will coordinate and provide oversight for the task force's activities. In addition, the FBI will act as a liaison between the task force and the U.S. Attorney's Office for possible prosecution of gang-related arrests. The task force is expected to be operational by March 1 and will be part of the FBI's Safe Streets Gang Task Force Initiative.

Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta FBI Office Gregory Jones said, "The purpose of this endeavor is to bring the FBI's Safe Streets Gang Task Force to outlying Metro Atlanta communities, thus bringing to bear an intensive, coordinated effort between the FBI and our law enforcement partners to combat the spread of gang activity. It has the added benefit of increasing the intelligence base among Georgia's gang investigators, giving them ready access to the information they need to combat gangs in their areas, or in the best case, disrupt them before they have a chance to form."