I recently attended the seminar "Gang Awareness in Your Community" sponsored by the Concerned Citizen's Association of Farmingdale and the Nassau County Police Department Detectives Association. This seminar highlighted how this problem plagues our nation and our communities.

Retired Nassau County Police Detective Corey Alleyne explained that denial is a major contributor to the overall problem of gang presence in a community and cited example after example about gang activity throughout Farmingdale and the Massapequas. Most significant was the Sept. 2003 shooting of Edgardo Sanchez on the Bethpage Bike Path that connects the communities of Massapequa and Farmingdale. Other examples in the area included graffiti and incidents with day laborers.

The fact that we are coming together as a community to become more aware of gangs was a step in the right direction according to Detective Alleyne. He further stated that adolescents join gangs to receive acceptance, protection, self-esteem and love, and community awareness and involvement can go a long way in breaking the cycle of gang activity.

In attendance at this meeting were several board members of the Friends of Massapequa Preserve, Richard and Lisa Schary and myself. It was expressed at the meeting that Friends of the Massapequa Preserve has been painting out graffiti and cleaning up party spots left by gangs. In the spirit of community awareness and involvement we have to encourage parents and children alike to participate in these cleanups in order to teach children to be a part of a group effort to positively impact their community.

Over a week after the seminar, everyone on Long Island could no longer be in denial over the severity of the gang problem when it was reported that the federal government had launched "Operation Streets Sweeper" by arresting 30 gang members involved in five murders. Operation Streets Sweeper included the FBI, ATF, and local law enforcement agencies. Also in the news was the arrest of four men and one woman for the assault and robbery of several Nassau residents and the murder of Anthony Battaglia of Lynbrook. All assailants were gang members.

For us to move forward as a community, we must work together with law enforcement and schools to address this serious problem. We must promote open parent and child dialogue, look for signs of gang activity, and report to the police any suspicion of gang activity in neighborhoods.

I'd like to thank Concerned Citizens Association of Farmingdale and the Nassau County Police Department Detectives Association for hosting this seminar and raising awareness. I am also thankful to the recent efforts of our local law enforcement and the federal agents' actions in cracking down on gang activity.

Bill Funk

Massapequa