September 17, 2008
Increase in Gang Violence threatens our Homeland Security
Thomas D. Segel
(Harlingen, Texas)  Gang violence is a rapidly growing cancer eating away at urban America.  There can be no better evidence of this than a plea from a police chief in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas for the residents and churches of his city to "enter into their own time of prayer and intercession directed at the issue of gang violence, broken homes, and the deterioration of the family unit that is destroying our youth."

Police Chief Daniel Castillo is the lead crime fighter in Harlingen, Texas, a city in excess of 60,000 people located about 20 miles from the border of Mexico and the United States.

Commendably, he is a man of faith and sees the Christian community as being a partner in the never-ending fight against gang formation and violence.  Unfortunately, most calls for divine intervention are usually made at times when crisis situations have grown to critical mass.  That could well be the case as Chief Castillo asks for his community to pray for the end of gang violence in the city.

The call for church involvement is just another step in the city's ongoing fight against its ever-increasing gang activity.  With more than 160 officers patrolling every corner of the city, the chief still wants more light shined upon youth gangs.  In July he created a special police gang unit made up of four filed officers, one intelligence officer and a sergeant.

Also in July, Harlingen's mayor Chis Boswell appointed a 10 member task force to address the issue of youth gang violence.  The Juvenile Crime, Graffiti and Gang Violence Task Force are expected to report it's finding and make recommendations to the city in December.

Harlingen, Texas is well known for having a very effective police force and a low crime rate.  Until recently, the one or two murders reported each year were considered lead articles in the daily news and in television reports.  Sadly, that is no longer the norm.

Friday, May 9, 2008 a 14 year old youth was found stabbed to death following a gang melee on the west side of the city.  Two other teens were wounded.  Two hours later the fire department was engaged in a huge fire at a former dairy plant two blocks away from the murder site.  On Sunday night police responded to multiple gunshots being fired in the same part of the city.  Monday afternoon a car was set afire near the same locale.

This area near the intersection of F Street and Buchanan is well known to Harlingen police.  Gang activity has been reported there for years.  This activity has also included an occasional murder.  Now, however, the criminal activity seems to be escalating.

On June 26, 2008 Nineteen year old Abraham Mar was pulled over on a routine traffic stop at the same F Street intersection.  He responded to the stop by firing 10 shots at Officer Carlos Diaz, wounding him in the right shoulder, forearm and head.  Mar fled the crime scene, but was apprehended three days later in Mexico.  His criminal history includes three aggravated assaults, assault on a public servant, burglary, deadly conduct of discharging a firearm at another person, credit car abuse and escape from custody.

It is not just Harlingen that is feeling the onslaught of increased juvenile crime.  Across the Rio Grande Valley violence and death are on the increase.  Currently eleven teenagers are in custody awaiting trial on murder charges.

On August 24 a 14 year old was shot and killed in a Weslaco store parking lot, 15 miles from Harlingen. Roberto Castro, Jr. and his father were trying to recover their family truck, which had been stolen.  Following the shooting, the culprit sped off in that same truck.

In neighboring Hidalgo County there have been 17 suspected gang murders in the past year.  Of the eleven suspects apprehended, seven were foreign nationals.  It is suspected that Mara Salvatrucha, the infamous MS-13 gang, is adding to local criminal activity.  The Rio Grande Valley is a favorite crossing point for MS-13 gang members seeking entry into the United States.  This extremely violent Central American gang is known to have linked up with other gangs in the United States to engage in drug smuggling, human trafficking, black market gun running, assassinations, theft and attacks on la enforcement officials.  It is estimated that more than 20,000 MS-13 gang members are operating inside the United States and more arriving almost daily.  In the Rio Grande Valley alone, 40 MS-13 members were arrested in 2007.  So far in 2008, another 24 members have been apprehended.  Most people believe the number apprehended only show the "tip of the iceberg."

It can be strongly argued that effective border security enforcement would add measurably to the reduction of crime in south Texas and across the United States.  As we all know, border security still remains almost non-existent. 

There has been no documentation presented to the public that MS-13 gang influence is driving the border crime rate upward.  However, it is very clear that juvenile crime is becoming increasingly more violent... and violence is the trademark of that organization.  Is it any wonder that Chief Daniel Castillo is calling for divine intervention?
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Thomas D. Segel
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