Sheriff Wes Tripp made the announcement at end of Thursday night's gang summit at Kirkwood Adams.

“We have strong indications that it will possibly be awarded to us, but it's not official,” he said this morning. “There is a strong possibility it will be fully funded.”

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A safe estimate shows there are as many 25 active gangs in the county, Tripp said. They range from Bloods to Crips and some local gangs. “Eighty percent of the murders in Halifax County have some type of link to gang activity.”

Evidence that came to light Wednesday in pre-trial motions involving those charged in the shooting death of 15-year-old Keyuon Garner showed the murder was tied to gang activity.

The sheriff said if the grant is awarded, the officer will be solely assigned to gang activity, from sharing intelligence and working closely with the United States Attorney's Office to coordinating cases in state court. “They will work with the already formed gang task force.”

Prior to the keynote address Thursday by noted gang expert Hunter Glass, local police chiefs or their designees gave an overview of the issues they face,

“We have some problems with gangs,” Scotland Neck Police Chief Joe Williams said. “They are offshoots of the Bloods. They have been involved in a murder. Three of our young people were involved in a situation in Northampton where all three were shot.”

The police department, Williams said, is documenting the activity. There are approximately 100 gang members in the town of 2,200. “These groups have been instrumental in the heroin trade.”

Roanoke Rapids Police Chief Chuck Hasty said gangs in the city are tied to the local drug trade, homicide and other crimes.

Many Roanoke Rapids gang members have given up wearing full colors and instead choose to wear one specific hat with a symbol as an identifier. “We have to all come together to share resources to help kids become productive and not destructive members of the community.”

Hasty said some signs of gang membership include unexplained wealth, having more than one cell phone, a radical change in friends and a change in the way they talk.

Weldon Police Department Deputy Chief James Avens said, “We do understand there is a gang issue. “It is a problem that is going to take all of coming together as law enforcement. We can't do it by ourselves.”

Lieutenant Jerry Powell of the Enfield Police Department said, “We can't do it alone. It's got to be a team effort.”

While the town has its homegrown gangs like the Fam, it also has ties to Rocky Mount and Nash County gangs. “They come to us.”

Keith Werner, an assistant district attorney for District Attorney Valerie Asbell, said, “We support law enforcement 100 percent.”

The gang problem is prevalent not only in Halifax County, but the three other counties District 6 serves, Werner said. “We know there's a problem and we're behind law enforcement 100 percent.”

Tripp said following the summit he was appreciative of support given him by the city of Roanoke Rapids, the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce and Texas Steakhouse, which helped sponsor the event.

This morning he said, “Last night was all about awareness. Our job is to help save our children. My role as chief law enforcement officer is to be real.”