Oregon Public Broadcasting

Portland and Gresham aren’t the only places in Oregon witnessing an increase in gang activity. Washington County and Hillsboro are also worried.

As Kristian Foden-Vencil reports, law enforcement groups held a conference on the issue in Hillsboro Thursday.

Hillsboro’s Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Carlos Perez, says over the last year there’s been an increasing number of shootings, stabbings, graffiti tagging and other gang activity – both inside and outside schools.

Carlos Perez: “This was an up-tick so to speak from recent years and we haven’t seen this kind of spike from the mid 80’s.”

In response, the Washington County Gang Intervention Team held a two-day summit. Recommendations include more law enforcement and reaching out to kids who may just be trying-out the gang life, rather than being fully invested in it.

Last week, Portland, Gresham and Multnomah County announced their joint effort ‘Operation Cool Down,’ after three people were shot and killed in an eruption of violence linked to gangs.