New Anti-Gang Group Plans Public Meeting

A new committee has formed to combat gang problems in Orange County and is inviting the public to attend its first meeting Tuesday at Koo’s Cafe in Santa Ana.

The group--called the Orange County Community Leadership Gang Task Force--will work as a watchdog organization and plans to monitor other nonprofit, police- and city-sponsored gang prevention programs. Members also will try to recruit employers to offer jobs to local youths to provide an alternative to gang involvement, said Javier A. Cortez, a teacher and community activist who will serve as the group’s chairman.

“We will be a proactive group with the purpose of coming up with solutions to the gang problem in Orange County,” Cortez said.

The task force was created this week by members of Los Amigos de Orange County, a Latino activist group.

“One of the most serious preoccupations that we have is that of the gang issue,” Los Amigos Chairman Amin David said. “We have felt somewhat ineffective in our work toward doing something about the tremendous issue of gangs in our community, and we want to do something serious with this new committee.”

Jose Chavez, a community activist, and the Rev. John Sebrero will serve as the task force’s first and second vice chairmen, respectively. Other board members include: Gail Byrne, who helps find jobs for at-risk youths in Irvine; doctors Carlos Guardiola and Manny Trujillo; Alfredo Lugo, a free-lance television and radio producer; and Alex Moreno, a parent counselor for the city of Brea.

Police, city employees, community activists, former and current gang members and anyone interested in joining the task force can attend Tuesday’s meeting, which will be at 7 p.m. at the coffeehouse, 1505 N. Main St.