Gangs are a problem in Selma according to Police Chief Robert Green, and his department is trying to do something about it.

“We’re not going to deny we have a problem,” Green said. “We’re going to be proactive and see if we can’t address the problem before it gets out of hand.”

In response, Green said the department will form a Gang Suppression Unit. The new unit will track current gang members, conduct routine gang sweeps, target gang hotspots and work to ensure prosecution of any gang members arrested.

“They’re (the gang unit) going to hit the streets next week,” Green said.

In a press conference Friday, Green said this is something the city’s dealt with before.

“In the late ’80s and early ’90s we had a little problem with some of the gangs that wanted to start up,” Police Chief Robert Green said. “They gradually faded away. Now it seems like we’re having a resurgence in the gang activity in Selma.”

While the unit is new to the SPD, Selma police have already received training on how to deal with gangs. Several officers have received advanced training already. And it’s something his officers responded well to when he brought it up at a meeting.

“A couple of officers have been keeping up with the activities of the local gangs for over a year,” Green said. “Immediately they came forward and gave me all this information they had collected.”

From that information and the training his department has received, Green already knows a lot about the gang activity in the city.

“We think that one of the gangs is responsible for a lot of the violent crime,” Green said. He declined to name the group.

“I’m not going to give them any free publicity,” he said.

Green did say that some of the gangs in Selma are locally based, while others have national affiliations.

“That’s where they get all their ideas,” he said.

The gangs have infiltrated area schools, a problem Green feels should be dealt with.

“There’s a lot of gang graffiti at the elementary schools, the middle and the high schools,” Green said. “We hope to present some seminars, upon request, at some of the schools and see if we can’t educate some teachers.”

Green also issued a call to area parents and community leaders to get involved.

“Report suspected gang activity immediately, repair areas in neighborhoods that have been vandalized and quickly remove graffiti,” he said. “We’re going to put a damper on gang activity.”