Around West County: Community Relations Council hears about gang situation

Last week's meeting of the Western District Police-Community Relations Council focused on the gang situation in the district. Sgt. T.J. Smith and Cpl. Brian Williams educated the audience on the recognition and indicators of gang activity or gang affiliation and answered many questions.

Lt. Doyle Batten, who heads up the School Resource Program, also explained the program and how it addresses signs of gang activity.

The problem of gangs in Anne Arundel County has been receiving a lot of attention lately. The county police, in conjunction with the county schools, assigns a school resource officer to each of the county's...