The News Tribune's Lights & Sirens blog provides breaking news, updates on on-going investigations and insights into other news from the Tacoma, Pierce County and South Puget Sound criminal justice community. It also gives The News Tribune an avenue to interact with readers, answer “What was that?” questions and provides a venue for readers to ask about on-going criminal justice issues and problems in their neighborhoods. The blog aims to inform, educate and, at times, entertain with weird or wacky crime news.
Stacey Mulick covers Pierce County crime and safety issues for The News Tribune. She’s worked at The News Tribune since May 1998. Contact her at stacey.mulick@thenewstribune.com.
Adam Lynn covers courts as part of the Crime and Breaking News Team at The News Tribune, where he’s worked since 2003. Lynn has spent nearly half of his 21-year career chronicling criminal justice matters in Washington and won reporting awards for his coverage of serial killer Robert Yates. “The Corpse Had a Familiar Face” by renowned Miami Herald reporter Edna Buchanan is among his favorite books. You can contact him at adam.lynn@thenewstribune.com.
Brian Everstine is a night breaking news and general assignment reporter for The News Tribune. The Spokane native arrived in Tacoma in the summer of 2008 and still is adjusting to life on this side of the mountains. He has written for papers in the Tri-Cities and his hometown. Contact him at brian.everstine@thenewstribune.com.
Occasional contributers:
Database reporter Ian Demsky, ian.demsky@thenewstribune.com.
General assignment reporter Mike Archbold, mike.archbold@thenewstribune.com.
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It appears House Bill 2712 is on its way to the governor's office for consideration.
The comprehensive anti-gang legislation was signed by the speaker of the House and president of the Senate yesterday.
The House had concurred with some amendments made by the Senate last week.
The bill, as passed by the Legislature:
* Establishes a grant program for cops to battle gang problems.
* Establishes a grant program to help clean up graffiti and tagging.
* Sets up a statewide database of known gang members.
* Increases the penalties for adults who recruit kids to participate in a gang-related crime.
* Expands the list of aggravated factors for exceptional sentences to include crimes committed to benefit a gang.
* Allows property owners to seek costs from a person who tagged or spraypainted graffiti on their property.
* Defines a criminal street gang.
* Directs the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development to establish a grant program for witnesses of felony gang-related crimes. The program would provide temporary assistance to those witnesses.
* Requests a study of the best practices to reduce gang involvement of inmates in prison.
The final bill DOES NOT include the most controversial section, which called for civil injunctions to disrupt gang activity in high crime areas.
