Recent statistics from Lynn and Revere reveal that great strides have been made by their local police departments in bringing gang activity under control.
In fact, in Lynn, a city of more than 90,000, where gang activity was rampant and growing just four years ago, gang activity has plummeted.
Local police say gang membership in Lynn has also gone from about 1000 four to five years ago to about 300.
In Revere, the same is true. Gang activity is vastly diminished while gang membership is also down.
Leaders have been taken down, arrested, indicted, convicted and sent away to prison.
Big busts have taken place with a consortium of police agencies and law enforcement experts further disrupting gang growth and warfare on city turf.
The same, to a more relative degree, is true here in Chelsea where it is believed by law enforcement the very worst aspects of gang growth and violence have come under control.
It is our understanding that quiet efforts here by police are expected to further dampen the spirit of local gangs and to break up their organizations.
Great credit is given to the local school system and to social welfare groups for continuing the educational battle against gangs among younger people who seemed to be more susceptible five years ago to joining a gang than they are today.
Gangs in Chelsea, nevertheless, remain a menace, a scourge on the decent hard working people of this city who simply want to be left alone.
Although gang incited and committed violence is down, gang violence remains insidious, odious and altogether incompatible with normal existence.
The Chelsea Police all agree, there is a long way to go before the gangs and their members operating here are either put behind bars or their drug dealing bases are crushed.
In the meantime, the good fight goes on.
We urge the police to keep up the hard work and to be careful as gang people carry guns and just don’t care much about life.