Gangs will be topic of talk in Jackson

JACKSON – The Jackson Police Department and the New Jersey State Police are inviting parents and guar-dians to attend an informational session on gangs and their influence on youth on Jan. 9 at Jackson Memorial High School.

The speaker will be Sgt. Ron Hampton from the New Jersey State Police Street Gangs Unit, who will discuss gangs in New Jersey and the influence they can have on young people.

The Street Gangs Unit will be handing out free literature on gangs to parents and guardians who attend and remain for the entire presentation.

The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center of Jackson Memorial High School, 101 Don Connor Blvd.

“This will be a very interesting session that is intended for adults only,” said Jackson Police Officer John Pejoski, who helped organize the event. “We are asking that parents do not bring their children to this event.”

According to a press release, the session is one of several informational sessions that are part of the Safety Aware-ness for Everyone (SAFE) program run by the Jackson Police Department. Other topics presented during the year include Internet safety and drug and alcohol use.