New York police seek Catholic community's help to stop gang warfare

Published: 2005-02-04

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (CNS) -- Law enforcement officials on Long Island have asked the Catholic community to help them curb gang recruitment and activity. To this end, more than 250 people -- including pastors, principals, administrators, directors of religious education, pastoral associates and youth ministers -- accepted Rockville Centre Bishop William F. Murphy's invitation to attend a meeting in early January to learn about local gangs and how adults can provide alternatives to that kind of activity for young people. The forum, hosted at the parish center of St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre, featured several law enforcement officials including the Nassau County Police Department's point man on gangs, Inspector Robert Turk, and Deputy Chief Grace Cucchissi. The purpose of the meeting was to educate those who work with young people about local gangs so they can work with law enforcement to become "more involved in this difficult and challenging issue," said Bishop Murphy. "They are all our children. Law enforcement alone can't do it," said Nassau County Police Detective Wilson Marrero of the special investigations squad. "This is everyone's problem. Locking people up does not reform anyone. We need you to provide alternatives."

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