The Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force [NVRGTF] is a federally funded entity created by the Department of Justice Appropriations Bill passed in July 2003.
The NVRGTF involves law enforcement officers from the Virginia State Police, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, City of Alexandria, Town of Dumfries, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, Town of Herndon, Town of Leesburg, Manassas City, Manassas Park, Town of Vienna, and the Town of Warrenton.
Until now, the NVRGTF tracked known gang members using GangNet, a database operated by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s [ONDCP] High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas [HIDTA] project. The HIDTA uses strict criteria to add someone to the database.
Activated People, run by Kofi Annon (not the former UN head), made racially charged conspiratorial claims, as well as outright false statements about the database. He claimed the database discriminated against blacks and Latinos.
Annon’s core claim was that people were added to the database simply for living in the wrong neighborhood or dressing the wrong way. In reality, the database consists of less than 8,000 people and requires two different forms of confirmation. Such as being arrested with other known gang members while also having a tattoo for the gang. Law enforcement is forbidden from using the gang database as probable cause. Once a person is added to the database, they are automatically removed after five years if they have not been arrested for any new crimes. Access to GangNet is not available to the public.
NVRGTF Executive Director Jay Lanham admitted he made the decision to stop using GangNet after activists complained, but alleges his agency barely used it anyway.
The primary uses of the database are to avoid gang wars inside of correctional facilities and to assess how dangerous a suspect might be before law enforcement goes out to perform an arrest.
Part of the agenda of Activated People, according to their website, is “defunding” police departments. They also support blanket amnesty for illegal aliens, even those who have committed felonies. On May 31st, the website defended violent rioting by the BLM movement.
