Chief: More cops needed to fight gangs

March 07-- Mar. 7--The number of gang-related shootings in the city more than doubled between 2017 and 2018, and two have happened so far this year, according to Police Chief Alan DeNaro.

DeNaro talked to the City Council last week about his understaffed department's efforts to combat the growing gang violence problem. It was the second time since June that he discussed the issue with the council.

DeNaro said gang-related incidents in the city are growing more prevalent and cited understaffing as the biggest challenge facing his department.

In 2018, there were 16 gang-related shootings in the city, according to DeNaro. A total of seven people were shot in the incidents and one of them -- Nike Colon -- was killed, DeNaro said.

In 2017, there were six gang-related shootings, in which seven people were injured, DeNaro said. So far this year, police have identified two gang-related shootings, he said.

The city's most recent shooting, an incident on Rockland Street, was not gang-related, he said.

Although the Police Department has funding for 108 officers, DeNaro told the council he currently has only 99 officers. Of those 99, one is in the process of retiring, another will retire by the end of April, and up to six more could retire between May of this year and next year, he said. Three future officers will graduate from the police academy in April.

Understaffing is the "No. 1" challenge the department is facing, DeNaro said.

"To do all of the things that you want to do, you have to have bodies to do them," he said. "I'm in my 17th year (with the department). We've been hiring for 18 years."

Hiring is made difficult in part by the complexity of the state's Civil Service Commission, which oversees and regulates police employment, DeNaro said.

Despite the department's limited roster, police work in the city was commended by the council at last week's meeting. DeNaro explained the department's multi-faceted effort to mitigate the effect of gangs in Haverhill, which includes utilizing the city's extensive surveillance camera system, increasing traffic details and stops, working with the mayor to increase inspections of buildings and address absentee landlords, and investing time and resources into diversion programs for young people.

DeNaro told the council that much of the city's gang violence stems from gang activity in surrounding communities that makes its way to Haverhill as rival gangs retaliate against each other. The same is true of Haverhill gang members going into other communities, he said.

"One of the key things we're seeing is we have people coming into Haverhill from other cities, one of which being Lawrence and a few others, and some of them are gang members and some of those issues come with them, as well as back and forth between gangs that do not respect jurisdictional boundaries," DeNaro said.

The chief also called on businesses moving to Haverhill to create job opportunities for the young people -- primarily those 14 to 24 years old -- who are at risk of getting involved with gangs.

"We keep talking about the Haverhill boom, the Haverhill boom, things are going on, things are happening -- we need to be more inclusive," he said.

Deputy Chief Anthony Haugh, who works closely with the UTEC diversion program for young people, said 17 gang members are currently enrolled in the program and UTEC workers are reaching out to an additional 31 gang members.

"Gang violence, the intensity has gotten worse," Haugh said. "Frequency, not so much, but the intensity, because of the prolific availability of handguns."

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