Pubdate: Sat, 03 Nov 2007
Source: Herald News (West Paterson, NJ)
Copyright: 2007 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.northjersey.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2911
Author: Ed Beeson, Herald News

DRUG GANGS PUT MARK ON PATERSON STREET

PATERSON -- Who's Barry? Who's Kris? Who's Rollack?

A rash of red gang graffiti has sprung up along Union Avenue in the 
city's 1st and 2nd wards, and now police and city officials worry 
that a turf war may be erupting along this quiet, working-class 
commercial strip.

The brightly colored graffiti signifies a bold attempt by the Bloods 
street gang to enter the drug-dealing territory controlled by the 
Crips and the Jasper Street Posse, authorities said.

"The market is here," said 2nd Ward Councilman Aslon Goow Friday as 
he gave a guided tour of the neighborhood.

"The question is, 'Who's going to dominate it?'"

It appears Bloods gang members think they will.

"Bloods Rule" was spray-painted over the blue tags that the Crips 
painted on several shops, restaurants and residences. The authors 
left cryptic signatures on the walls: Barry, Kris and Rollack.

Police investigators are attempting to figure out the meaning behind 
these names.

Detective Sgt. Dalton Price, of the Police Department's gang unit, 
said it is too early to say what effect the graffiti will have. 
Should rival gang members cross paths on the streets, they could feel 
compelled to confront each other, he said.

"We don't want to scare people into not leaving their homes," said 
Price, "but it's always a chance."

Price said he plans to meet with police Chief James Wittig to develop 
a response to the graffiti.

The graffiti began appearing last week on the sides of area 
businesses and homes, Goow said. The gangs even defaced the sandstone 
facade of the Paterson public library's Union Avenue branch. The 
initials "SMM" were tagged on the building's Sheridan Avenue side. 
Just down the block, the letters were repeated along with the numbers 252.

Both are references to a statewide Bloods set, or group, known as Sex 
Money Murder, which authorities say has operated on the city's 
Eastside. Over the summer, more than a dozen Sex Money Murder 
members, including three ringleaders, were indicted on charges 
ranging from drug dealing to murder.

Goow said he has urged residents, landlords and business-owners to 
remove the gang graffiti as soon as possible.

"If you don't clean it," he said, "you encourage it."

And those who don't remove the graffiti can face stiff penalties. The 
city can place a lien on a private property if the city is forced to 
remove the graffiti itself, Goow said.

And landlords and property owners are expected to bear the costs of 
graffiti removal.

Protecting the library's walls may sap the system of its budget, said 
library Director Cindy Czesak. The library system is fielding bids 
from vendors who can remove the graffiti and apply a sealant that 
will make the removal of future graffiti easier.

While some local business owners painted over the graffiti almost as 
quickly as they discovered it, they said they felt uneasy about their 
property being the target of gangs and vandals.

"It's awful. It's awful," said the owner of Union Avenue Laundry, 
whose business was struck Sunday. She would not give her name for 
fear of gang retaliation. "They're marking their territory like dogs."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom