Parents, teachers, law enforcement officers, residents, are all invited for a first-of-its-kind event hosted by Washington Police and Fire Services.

On Aug. 5, WPD brings the directors of the nonprofit Gang Free NC, Michelle and Jon-Paul Guarino, to town to host a symposium on gang awareness. The program will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Temple of Jesus Christ Family Life Center in Washington. The public is invited to attend.

“It’s imperative to stress that this is not just a law enforcement event,” said Washington Police and Fire Services Director Stacy Drakeford. “This is about the community.”

The symposium is an educatory offering by the Guarinos, both of whom are law enforcement officers: she, with Chapel Hill Police Department; he, with North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The symposium offers an education in gang identification and psychology.

“They actually work in this field day in and day out,” said Washington Police Community Outreach Coordinator Kim Grimes, organizer of the event.

“Participants will learn to recognize gang graffiti, gang clothing, gang terminology, hand signs and terms, Participants will understand the North Carolina gang validation process and procedures. … Participants will learn gang and gang-member psychology and its relevance to interactions with this population,” reads a course description.

According to Grimes, the symposium represents an opportunity for everyone in the community to learn how to recognize patterns and behaviors that are warnings of gang activity.

“It’s a relevant topic to be talking about right now because we don’t want to be on the side of not being informed,” Grimes said. “This training will show you some of the signs.”

Gangs are widespread and Washington and Beaufort County in general have their share of gang activity, according to Drakeford.

“Do we have some validated gang members in the area? Yes,” Drakeford said. “But there’s more than just African American gangs — there’s white gangs; there’s motorcycle gangs. Gang members come in many shapes, facets and forms.”

Drakeford referred to the symposium as a public invitation to participate in crime prevention in what he sees as a collaborative effort to make the community a safer place.

“We’re trying to be proactive, rather than reactive,” Drakeford said.

Grimes said Gang Free NC Symposium has garnered quite a bit of attention — she’s had positive response from many local residents, as well as from law enforcement agencies in the surrounding counties.

“The word is getting out,” Grimes said. “I feel like it’s an event that will stand out for the city.”

The Gang Free NC Symposium is free but does require pre-registration. Check-in and networking begin at 8 a.m. the morning of the event and lunch will be provided.

The Aug. 5 symposium is the first part of a two-part session. If attendance is good, Drakeford said, the second part will be held at a later date.

To request an application, contact Kimberly Grimes at kgrimes@washingtonnc.gov.