Jim Graham said: 

> Does anyone remember the 1980's, that was when Minneapolis' Chief
> of Police (Boza) said, "we do not have a gang and drug problem".

Actually, I do remember, and would like to note that this is an oft-repeated
myth. Bouza's quote was "we don't have a gang problem, we have a youth
problem."

The quote wasn't very articulate (or perhaps too clever by half), but Bouza
wasn't denying the presence of gangs, or a problem. He was trying to point
to causes � kids with nothing better to do.

Now, you can disagree with Bouza's emphasis and his subsequent policing (and
many do), but excerpting only half of his quote is highly misleading, if
oft-repeated.

David Brauer
King Field
Home of the "first" gang killing - Christine Kreitz's murder in 1986; her
body wound up in King Park



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