CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Residents in Charlotte and across North Carolina may soon be able to force gangs out of neighborhoods. They wouldn’t have to be confronted head on. One could just show individuals involved in gang activity constitute a public nuisance. It’s a legal term defined by the courts as an unreasonable interference with a right common to the general public.
“I think, as far as getting rid of gang activity in any neighborhood you gotta have your neighbors really working together,” said Pamela Turr, who is the neighborhood block captain for the Catawba River Plantation neighborhood in Northwest Charlotte. She moved there from the University Area back in 2002, to live in what she considers a safer community. And, she’s determined to keep it that way.
“You have to show criminals that we’re taking a stand within our neighborhood, and that type of activity is not allowed,” said Turr. For people like Pam, the North Carolina Legislature wants to help them fight gangs, by passing a law that declares their activities in a neighborhood a public nuisance.
If gang members live in a house, and they’re causing trouble in that neighborhood, then the city or residents could get a judge to force them to leave, and then seize the property. “If they can pass that nuisance law it would probably be great for all communities because then your crime rate would go tremendously down,” said Turr.
State lawmakers discussed the Street Gang Nuisance Abatement legislation at a Judiciary Subcommittee on Wednesday. Mecklenburg Representatives William Brawley, Tricia Ann Cotham and Rodney Moore are co-sponsors of House Bill 673.
