[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 TRIBUTE TO THE SAGINAW GANG TASK FORCE

 Mr. RIEGLE. Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to the 
organizers and members of the Saginaw Gang Crime Task Force [SGCTF]. 
Comprised of Federal agents from the FBI, BATF, and the Secret Service, 
working with officers from State and local law enforcement agencies, 
the task force has just completed 6 months of successful operations.
  While its primary mission is to save children from the ravages of 
gang activity by working full-time to help guarantee neighborhood 
safety, the task force has also dedicated itself to the improvement of 
the quality of life for all who live in the Saginaw area.
  Saginaw Police Chief Alex Perez and Saginaw County Prosecutor Michael 
D. Thomas have praised the task force for its role in the recent 
reduction of crime in the city of Saginaw. Since its inception on April 
6, 1994, the SGCTF effort has contributed to 40 arrests, a 10-percent 
reduction in violent crime, a 23-percent reduction in homicide, and a 
12-percent reduction in assaults. The SGCTF has earned the respect and 
support of the entire Saginaw community through its aggressive 
multifaceted approach to law enforcement.
  A number of individuals and groups deserve special mention for their 
efforts. They include: Gary L. Loster, mayor of the city of Saginaw, 
who, with the assistance of leaders from Zilwaukee, Bridgeport, Buena 
Vista, Carrollton, Saginaw, and Thomas Townships, provided the 
leadership to inaugurate this crime fighting initiative; Senior FBI 
Agent Philip L. Kerby, task force supervisor, who organized the effort 
and designed the structure of the task force; the Michigan State Police 
Department, Saginaw County Sheriff's Department, Saginaw Police 
Department, Saginaw Township Police Department, and Bridgeport Police 
Department, all of which provided manpower and equipment; Larry Porte 
of the Secret Service, who has shared his expertise in crimes dealing 
with currency and food stamps; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
for funding the task force.
  Finally, I would like to commend the Saginaw Gang Crime Task Force 
for its commitment to making the Saginaw area a better place in which 
to live and work. I am happy to join with the Saginaw community in 
wishing the task force continued success.

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