MOSES LAKE - The task of reducing youth street crime and local gang activity can't be left to law enforcement alone.

This seemed to be the message of a presentation by Moses Lake Police Chief Dean Mitchell and others, which addressed programs aimed at combating crimes committed by juveniles, young adults and criminal street gangs in the Grant County.

"The reason for this meeting is not to talk about the terrible gang problem in Grant County and Moses Lake," Mitchell told about 50 members of the public at the outset of the talk. "The purpose of this meeting is to discuss some of the strategies and some of the good things that are going on in our community."

Local law enforcement agencies have been aggressive in working to deter youth crime, Mitchell said before highlighting several local and region-wide programs.

Moses Lake Police Department's new street crimes unit, composed of two officers, is specifically tasked with investigating and eradicating illegal gang activity, as well as perpetual property crimes such as malicious mischief, burglary and thefts.

A multi-agency fugitive task force has been in operation for the past two years, targeting individuals with either federal or state warrants including many with ties to criminal street gangs, he said.

A region-wide gang intelligence network has provided widespread data-sharing on known gang members in Eastern Washington for years, while the recently created Columbia Basin Gang Task Force now assists rural communities with emphasis patrols.

"Everybody county-wide knew we had to do something because gang members are mobile, they get around the county," said Quincy Police Chief Richard Ackerman. "What we have to do is address this not as individual cities, but as a county ... The intent is to keep the gangs on the run and make their life miserable because they never know when the gang detail is going to show up."

Mitchell introduced two school resource officers assigned to the Moses Lake School District, funded in large part by the district's operations levy. While the program's priority is safety for both students and staff, school resource officer Beau Montgomery said the officers also work to build relationships with students who may be struggling.

"Not only do we deal with criminal issues at the school, but there are a lot of issues students might have where they might come to us with something going on outside of school or at home," he said.

Many people at the meeting asked questions about the programs or specific problems they'd come into contact with on a regular basis, such as juvenile runaways or gang graffiti.