Safe Communities Task Force
P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver WA 98666-5000
Tel 360-397-2130 x5204
Fax 360-397-2164
www.safecommunitiestaskforce.org
ANNUAL
REPORT
FY 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
To Our Stakeholders _____________________________________________________________________________________ 1
Safe Communities Task Force Profile ___________________________________________________________________ 2
By the Numbers __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4
Activities __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6
Looking Ahead __________________________________________________________________________________________ 10
Contact Information ____________________________________________________________________________________ 11
TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS
To Our Stakeholders
At year-end 2015, the Safe Communities Task Force gives special thanks for the collaborative funding
commitment from the City of Vancouver, Clark County, and the Evergreen and Vancouver Public Schools.
Half of this funding goes to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington to provide gang prevention
and intervention services to gang impacted kids in our community. This program is the first of its kind in
Clark County and thanks to the great partnership with the Boys and Girls Club and the tireless efforts of its
staff we are providing relevant services to the kids who need them most in our community. Special
appreciation goes out to all the members of the Youth Engagement Team, who bring their individual
expertise to a bi-monthly gang-intervention meeting in order to help each of our Outreach Workers case
manage the youth they are working with.
Thank you to the individual members of our Executive Committee and Steering Committee who have
shown their commitment through participation in quarterly and monthly meetings and providing guidance
and feedback in planning and execution of the Safe Communities Task Force Strategic Plan. This past year,
the Steering Committee used the data from the community assessment to identify key areas of opportunity
and crafted a formal Strategic Plan which was completed at the end of 2015. Moving into this next year, the
focus of the Steering Committee will be implementing the plan and evaluating and monitoring progress.
A thank you is also in order for all of the dedicated juvenile justice staff, school administrators, counselors,
teachers, social service providers, police officers, school resource officers, district resource officers,
community members, business owners, faith-based leaders, and coaches in our community who play an
integral part as a positive non-parental adult role model in the lives of the gang impacted youth in our
community.
In 2015, we continued supporting youth, families and neighborhoods. Our weekly programming grew from
only offering one pro-social activity one night a week to offering weekly activities on multiple week nights
and this couldn’t happen without the commitment of our adult volunteers.
The monthly community meeting attendees deserve special thanks for their continued support of our
efforts and their compassion for the youth we serve and their constant willingness to help out in any way
they can. These meetings always remind me of what an amazing community we live in.
Moving into 2016, one of our main focuses will be creating employment opportunities for the youth and
families we serve.
Thank you for your continued support,
Josh Beaman, Safe Communities Task Force Coordinator
Page 1
SAFE COMMUNITIES TASK FORCE PROFILE
Safe Communities Task Force Profile
Our Mission and History
The Safe Communities Task Force mission is to reduce violence and gang involvement in Clark County. This
mission began in 2008 when concerned citizens realized that area youth were increasingly joining gangs,
but social services, schools and other agencies had no coordinated response. With a budget of zero, these
citizens formed the Safe Communities Task Force and began looking for solutions.
In 2010, the Safe Communities Task Force received funding through the Edward Byrne Memorial
Competitive Grant Program to implement full-time coordination of this project as well as complete a
thorough assessment of Clark County’s gang problem. The assessment was completed in 2012, and is
accessible online at www.safecommunitiestaskforce.org. And while grant funding for full-time coordination
has since expired, an inter-local agreement between Clark County, the City of Vancouver, Evergreen and
Vancouver Public Schools has provided new stability to the project. With this support, the Safe
Communities Task Force will continue raising awareness among parents, community leaders, and other
concerned citizens about gangs and related issues; provide continual assessment of local youth violence
and gang activity; and coordinate local services to better serve youth who are gang-involved or at high risk
of future involvement.
The Safe Communities Task Force chose to use the OJJDP (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention) Comprehensive Gang Model as its blueprint for implementation. The model focuses on five
core strategies: Community Mobilization, Opportunities Provision, Social Intervention, Suppression, and
Organizational Change and Development.
In March of 2014, a contract was awarded to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington to implement
a Gang Prevention and Intervention Program in Clark County. Prevention services began in April 2014 and
intervention case management services began in May 2014. The program addresses the Social
Intervention strategy of the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model and is the first of its kind in Clark County to
serve gang affected youth. At year-end 2014, the program was serving 19 gang affected youth with the goal
to reach 50 youth by the end of 2015. On the prevention side of the program by year-end 2014, the
program was serving 60 elementary and sixth grade youth between two Boys & Girls Club sites.
The Safe Communities Task Force brought new members onto both the Executive Committee and the
Steering Committee during 2014. This past year the Steering Committee used the OJJDP’s Comprehensive
Gang Model’s planning process to put together a formal strategic plan to address the areas of opportunity
identified from the community assessment completed in 2012. Moving into 2016, the Steering
Committee’s main focus will be on implementing the strategic plan and evaluating our progress.
Page 2
SAFE COMMUNITIES TASK FORCE PROFILE
Our Members
More than 100 individuals and organizations support the work of the Safe Communities Task Force,
including Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington, Clark County Department of Community Services,
Clark County Juvenile Court, City of Vancouver, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Vancouver Police Department,
Vancouver Public Schools, Evergreen Public Schools, YWCA Clark County, Latino Community Resource
Group, Partners in Careers, Washington Department of Social and Health Services, Clark County
Department of Health, Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council, Maplewood Neighborhood
Association, and the Fourth Plain Neighborhood Association.
Our Executive Committee includes Clark County Sheriff Chuck Atkins, Clark County Juvenile Court
Administrator Pat Escamilla, Vancouver Chief of Police James McElvain, City of Vancouver Councilman Bart
Hansen, Vancouver Public Schools Superintendent Steve Webb, Evergreen Public Schools Superintendent
John Deeder, Clark County Department of Health Director Alan Melnick, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest
Washington Executive Director Elise Menashe, Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council
Executive Director Jeanne Bennett, Key Properties Services Vice President Craig Lyons, Go Connect
Executive Director David Bilby, Partners in Careers Executive Director Sharon Pesut, Police Activities
League Executive Director Jenny Thompson. This group meets quarterly to provide leadership and
guidance on policy suggestions and has been instrumental in securing resources for the Safe Communities
Task Force.
Our Steering Committee is comprised of 14 community leaders, they include Evergreen Public Schools
Safety Manager Shane Gardner, Clark County Juvenile Court Connections Unit Manager Eric Gilman,
Vancouver Public Schools Director of Security and Athletics Al Alcantar, Ogden Neighborhood resident
Kathy Huss, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington Program Manager Erica Nicewonger, Washington
State University-Vancouver professor Clay Mosher, Community Member Joan Renner, YWCA Sexual Assault
Program Director Laurie Schacht, Clark County Sheriff’s Department Alex Schoening, Clark County Juvenile
Court Probation Officer Nick Potter, Vancouver Police Department Lieutenant Troy Price, Partners in
Careers Executive Director Sharon Pesut, Police Activities League Executive Director Jenny Thompson and
Safe Communities Task Force Program Coordinator Josh Beaman. This group is responsible for setting the
strategic direction of the Safe Communities Task Force, advising the Program Coordinator, and is often
directly involved in the implementation of task force activities.
Page 3
BY THE NUMBERS
By the Numbers
Figure 1: City of Vancouver Gang-Involved EPR (Electronic Police Reporting) Records 2005-2015
Courtesy of Vancouver Police Department
Gang-Involved EPR
Records
Gang-Involved Case
Reports
Gang Crime Offenses
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
102
140
208
298
281
264
328
432
189
222
*
161
216
474
598
467
445
599
708
374
341
*
Warrants
20
48
58
57
138
126
33
75
26
30
*
Info Reports
5
12
38
59
91
74
72
168
25
12
*
Weapons Involved
(offenses)
Cases involving
weapons
Graffiti
60
74
197
187
133
101
173
235
149
118
*
27
25
53
56
53
48
58
98
39
54
*
108
230
277
296
41
52
80
53
164
84
*
*IN 2015, A NEW RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (RMS) WAS IMPLEMENTED ON 4/10/15 AND IT
DOESN’T TRACK GRAFFITI OR GANG RELATED ACTIVITY IN THE SAME WAY. WE WILL BE ABLE TO
COMPARE THE DATA AT THE END OF 2016.
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BY THE NUMBERS
Boys & Girls Club Gang Prevention/Intervention Program Goals and Outcomes 2015
Serve a
Increased
minimum of
Increased
Decreased
engagement
Improved
100 youth(50
engagement
rates of
Qtr./Program
in
academic
Prevention &
in pro-social
delinquent
intervention
performance
50
activities
behavior
services
Intervention)
Q1/Prevention
77 youth total
84%
34% received
26% had a
School district
at two sites
participated
assistance w/
behavior issue data not yet
2+ times/week food, clothing,
at club in the
available
tutoring, etc.
past quarter
Q1/Intervention
59 youth total
66%
maintained or
increased
engagement
27% accessed
referrals for
basic needs
Law
enforcement
data not yet
available
51% improved
academic
performance
Q2/Prevention
74 youth total
at two sites
73%
participated
2+ times/week
14% received
assistance w/
food, clothing,
tutoring, etc.
16% had a
behavior issue
at club in the
past quarter
School district
data not yet
available
Q2/Intervention
63 youth total
33% accessed
referrals for
basic needs
35 youth total
at two sites
Law
enforcement
data not yet
available
17% had a
behavior issue
at club in the
past quarter
27% improved
academic
performance
Q3/Prevention
53%
maintained or
increased
engagement
43%
participated
2+ times/week
Q3/Intervention
45 youth total
42% accessed
referrals for
basic needs
81 youth total
at two sites
Law
enforcement
data not yet
available
8% had a
behavior issue
at club in the
past quarter
49% improved
academic
performance
Q4/Prevention
64%
maintained or
increased
engagement
85%
participated
2+ times/week
Q4/Intervention
43 youth total
86%
maintained or
increased
engagement
58% accessed
referrals for
basic needs
Law
enforcement
data not yet
available
44% improved
academic
performance
Page 5
51% received
assistance w/
food, clothing,
tutoring, etc.
35% received
assistance w/
food, clothing,
tutoring, etc.
School district
data not yet
available
School district
data not yet
available
ACTIVITIES
Activities
MONTHLY COMMUNITY MEETINGS
The Safe Communities Task Force continued to coordinate monthly community meetings in 2015, with an
average attendance of 20 people per month. These meetings provide citizens with an opportunity to learn
from law enforcement about the latest youth violence and gang trends in the county while also learning
about the various agencies that are providing services to youth and families. Community organizations
spotlighted in 2015 included Clark County Teen Talk, Goodwill Job Connections, DSHS, 4th Plain Forward
Project, Youth Access Project, Options Youth Program, Evergreen Public School Safety Program, Juvenile
Detention Alternatives Initiative, CHILL-Burton Snowboard’s Non-Profit, Police Activities League, and Boys
& Girls Club College Prep Program. The content of this meeting will be changing moving into 2016 to
include an educational component in each meeting covering skill development and cultural awareness.
This information sharing and ongoing networking opportunity leads to a more well-informed and
connected Clark County.
WEEKLY SUPPORT GROUP
In October of 2009 a gang involved young man in conjunction with a juvenile probation counselor
developed a curriculum to be used as an intervention with gang involved young men. The focus of the
curriculum was to address responsibility, values, and community. In November of that year the young man
began facilitating a once a week meeting with eight young men from his gang set. Initially the project was
slated to last six weeks, once a week for three hours a session. One and a half hours would be spent in
discussion and the last hour and a half would be spent participating in recreational activities or working on
homework. Discussion topics included (but were not limited to): defining values, deconstructing music
lyrics, impact of gang violence on community, understanding sorrow, and interactions with authority. At
the conclusion of the six week period, the young man received feedback from the participants that they
noticed their decision- making had changed in regard to some of their weekly interactions at home and in
the community. Because they felt a sense of responsibility to the group as a whole, they found they were
avoiding trouble in order to be able to attend. The group requested continuing the weekly meetings in
order to support each other in healthier ways. To honor the history of this group we facilitated a ten week
group at the end of 2015 with a small group of gang-affected youth and had promising results and great
feedback from the participants. We will continue to facilitate these ten week sessions with youth who are
receiving case management services with our Youth Engagement Team.
Page 6
ACTIVITIES
KEEPING OUR KIDS SAFE CONFERENCE/JUAN PACHECO WORKSHOPS
Providing information to parents and other concerned citizens has been a staple of the Safe Communities
Task Force since the beginning. In 2015, our task force offered the seventh annual educational conference
for both parents and professionals who work with youth and families. Held at Clark College and headlined
by keynote speaker Juan Pacheco, former gang member now motivational speaker. This event attracted
more than 100 attendees on both days to learn about transformation, adverse childhood experiences
(ACES), adolescent brain development, communicating with teens, and creating community.
In addition to the Keeping Our Kids Safe Conference, Juan Pacheco presented his message of
transformation to over 1000 middle school students from Discovery, Covington, and Shahala Middle
Schools as well as 53 incarcerated youth.
The second day of the event is for families and community members and we received requests to offer
monthly parent educational/discussion groups in our community. We listened to the request and have
been planning with a group of parents from the community and will start offering monthly parent
educational/discussion groups beginning in April of 2016.
ANNUAL YOUTH AND FAMILY POTLUCK
For the sixth straight year, the Safe Communities Task Force organized a holiday potluck for youth and
families impacted by gang violence. There were approximately 75 people in attendance at this year’s event.
Held at the Boys & Girls Club’s OK Clubhouse, this annual gathering has become a signature event for the
task force and highly anticipated by everyone involved. With the aim of building a stronger connection with
our neighbors who are often isolated and disconnected, this event brings everyone together under one roof
to redefine community and recognize the progress of the youth in our program. With the support of
generous donors, every child in attendance received an age-appropriate gift from Santa, and every teenager
received a stocking filled with goodies and a movie ticket.
TAKING ACTION AGAINST GRAFFITI
For many people, graffiti is the only sign of gang activity they recognize in their communities. Although an
estimated 90% of graffiti is not gang-related, it is an eye-sore and can present serious safety issues. As
such, the Safe Communities Task Force provides information on graffiti removal and graffiti in our
community decreased by 49% in 2014 from where it was at in 2013. The Vancouver Police Department
Page 7
ACTIVITIES
implemented a new Records Management System (RMS) on 4/10/15 and it doesn’t track graffiti and gang
related activity in the same way as the old system. We will have to wait and see what the changes will be at
the end of 2016.
NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT
Any neighborhood can suddenly find itself in the thick of a gang problem – all it takes is one gang member
to move into the area. The Safe Communities Task Force has continued to provide support to
neighborhoods experiencing such conflict by organizing community meetings, providing training and
resources to concerned citizens, and coordinating with law enforcement or other local experts to help solve
neighborhood problems.
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT SUPPORTING THE SAFE COMMUNITIES TASK FORCE
The Safe Communities Task Force is grateful to the local leaders from Clark County, the City of Vancouver,
Evergreen Public Schools and Vancouver Public Schools who championed the effort to adequately fund the
work being done. A good portion of the funding was awarded in a contract to the Boys and Girls Clubs of
Southwest Washington to implement the first Gang Prevention and Intervention Program in Clark County.
GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAM
Through our partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington, we are implementing the
first ever Gang Prevention and Intervention Program in Clark County. The Prevention objectives of this
program are to provide a variety of services and activities, including evidence-based national programs and
gender-specific programs to build the necessary skills to resist negative influences and make healthy
lifestyle choices. These activities are being delivered through two different Boys and Girls Club sites to a
minimum of 50 grade school age children living in gang activity “hot spots”.
The Intervention objectives are to provide case management that coordinates services to offenders and the
families of gang affected youth through an integrated, interdisciplinary approach tailored to the needs of
each client. A multidisciplinary group called the Youth Engagement Team, which is made up of individuals
from law enforcement, Juvenile Court, education, and social service agencies will provide the “wrap
around” approach of case management for each of the individual clients referred to the program. This
program will be serving a minimum of 50 gang-affected youth by the end of 2015. There are to be 25 gangaffected youth served from the Evergreen Public Schools and 25 served from the Vancouver Public Schools.
Page 8
ACTIVITIES
PRO-SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
The more positive adult role models we can introduce into the lives of the young people we are working
with through participation in pro-social activities offered in our community, the better chance they have for
success.
Our community has been great in responding to our needs. Highlighted below are just a few examples of
the generosity of the Clark County community:
Page 9

Boys & Girls Club College Prep Program

Partners In Careers Youth Build Construction Program

Clark County Food Bank Cooking Matters Class

Partners In Careers workshops (Professional Dress, Resume Writing, and Interview Prep)

Boys & Girls Club basketball program

Weekly girls support group

Weekly boys support group for clients in our Youth Engagement Team

CHILL, Burton Snowboard’s Non-Profit hosted six-week surfing/paddle boarding class

Weekly boxing classes with Mind Fitness Attitude Boxing

Mentoring youth at local elementary and middle schools
LOOKING AHEAD
Looking Ahead
The Safe Communities Task Force will continue to implement our strategic plan and evaluate our
effectiveness. Moving into 2016, we want to get more involvement from our business community to help
broaden the scope of educational and employment opportunities in our community. We will also be asking
for their financial support to provide more opportunities for our young people to engage in more pro-social
activities.
We will also be working with our employment support partners and local businesses to create more
opportunities for the youth and families we work with to secure jobs to provide the financial stability they
need to live in our community.
The Gang Prevention and Intervention Program will be reaching to meet its goal by year end of providing
services to a minimum of 100 gang affected youth in our community. Our intervention team will strive to
be providing services for 25 youth from the Evergreen Public Schools and 25 youth from the Vancouver
Public Schools by year end.
The Safe Communities Task Force will continue to offer our annual Keeping Our Kids Safe Conference
which is scheduled for October 14-15, 2016 at Clark College’s Gaiser Hall. Hopefully through the monthly
parent discussion groups we can generate more parent involvement on day two of this year’s conference.
Anyone who would like to join our efforts, or simply stay informed about Safe Communities Task Force
endeavors, is encouraged to visit our website (www.safecommunitiestaskforce.org), attend a community
meeting (every second Friday of the month from 10am to noon at the Boys & Girls Club located at 4040
Plomondon), or join our mailing list (use the ‘contact us’ link on our website).
Page 10
CONTACT INFORMATION
Contact Information
Josh Beaman, Program Coordinator
Safe Communities Task Force
P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver WA 98666-5000
Tel 360-397-2130 x5204
Fax 360-397-2164
www.safecommunitiestaskforce.org
Page 11