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New specialist to combat gangs while giving members second chance

Robert C. Reed

Charles Mackey Jr., discusses his role as the new Catawba County Gang Intelligence Crime Analyst.

By Richard Gould | Hickory Daily Record

Published: February 7, 2010

Hickory - At one time, criminal street gangs were considered a big-city problem — a destructive force associated with squalid high-rise buildings and urban blight.

That has changed. Gangs have migrated to small cities and towns. They have come to Hickory and Catawba County.

Every law enforcement agency in Catawba County is combating gangs.

In late May, the agencies got a $135,629 grant from the Governor's Crime Commission to pay for a full-time crime analyst to track and distribute gang information.

Charles Mackey Jr., was hired in January. He is the Gang Intelligence Crime Analyst and his salary is $37,000 a year.

Chief Don Brown of the Newton Police Department was a member of the committee that hired Mackey and said he's the right man for the job.

"He grew up in the community and has been very involved in it even before this position became open," he said.

Mackey is looking forward to using his problem-solving skills to help the county's nine law enforcement agencies be proactive in their struggle against gangs.

"I will be gathering data from the different agencies to compile gang-related activity," he said.

He will compile that information on a central Web site and distribute it to the agencies in e-mail updates and monthly interagency briefings on gang trends and statistics.

The information he compiles will be used in interventions with gang members in an effort to cure rather than treat the issue of gangs in the community.

Officers will show gang members the evidence they have, and, together with family members and community leaders, work to convince members to cut off his or her involvement with the gang or face arrest. The gang members will be offered community support to find work.

"You get one shot to take us up on this," Mackey said. "If you don't, the whole weight of the law will come down on you."

Agreement is widespread that this approach will be an effective tool against gangs.

"It's important that we recognize that organized groups engaged in criminal conduct present a unique danger to the community," said District Attorney Jay Gaither in an e-mail. "The countywide approach to resisting gang-related crime has been met with enthusiasm from every agency in the county, and I look forward to working closely with the newly hired coordinator in our joint efforts to erode the presence of gangs in our communities."

Officers are especially hopeful that Mackey's approach will redirect gang members toward a less destructive existence.

"I think this will enhance our ability to give our young people alternatives and a way to get out of this lifestyle," said Chief Tom Adkins of the Hickory Police Department.

County officials agree.

"We're hoping he's going to be able to gather information of gangs in the county and the cities," said Chief Deputy Coy Reid of the Catawba County Sheriff's office. "Our goal is to break up the gangs."