SAN BERNARDINO -- Officers from a specialized Inland Empire gang taskforce swarmed through the streets Friday night in an attempt to curb gang activity that has plagued the city for months, police officials said.
More than 60 people were taken into custody during the 10-hour sweep. Several weapons and an unknown amount of drugs were seized, police said.
"This is one of many tools we have to take our city back from those that want to control it by using fear and violence," said an undercover officer of the SMASH (San Bernardino movement against street hoodlums) taskforce. "These gang members need to know we aren't going away, and we'll use everything we have to keep residents safe."
Some residents were not happy with police coming into their apartment complexes and they made that point clear to officers.
"SMASH is going to get smashed one of these days," said James Jones. a friend of a resident who lives in the Evergreen Apartments at 1555 Pumalo Street.
Another woman, who asked to be kept anonymous in fear of retaliation from her neighbors, said she was glad police came through.
"It makes me feel safer when they are here,"
she said. "If I could afford to move I would."
The taskforce included officers from Rialto, Fontana, Barstow, Upland, San Bernardino City Unified School District, Redlands, District Attorney investigators and San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies.
Copyright 2013 - San Bernardino County Sun, Calif.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
