Governor Stein Launches Gang Prevention Task Force

Governor Josh Stein met this week with the newly formed Gang Prevention and Intervention Task Force in Raleigh to discuss efforts to curb violent crime and help young people stay out of gangs. But despite growing crime concerns in western North Carolina, no one from Rutherford County was appointed to the group.

The task force was created in August through Executive Order 21 and brings together law enforcement, educators, health officials, and community leaders from across the state. It’s co-chaired by Department of Adult Correction Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes and Office of Violence Prevention Director Siarra Scott.

Governor Stein said the task force will focus on “real solutions to make North Carolina safer,” but the membership is mostly urban-based, with representatives from Raleigh, Durham, Mecklenburg, and New Hanover counties.

That imbalance comes as state data shows gang activity is spreading beyond large cities. According to the 2025 Gang Prevention Legislative Report from the Governor’s Crime Commission and the State Bureau of Investigation, juvenile gang-related offenses have climbed nearly 48% since 2020, from 397 to 587 cases statewide.

The report also found that 44% of gang-involved youth have mental health problems and 86% of at-risk juveniles in North Carolina have experienced trauma. Local officials say those numbers point to the need for prevention programs in smaller, underserved counties like Rutherford.

In a statement, Secretary Cooley Dismukes said her team is “ready to hit the ground running” to reduce gang violence inside prisons and in communities. Director Scott said the task force includes “leaders from many different backgrounds,” but no members are from the Foothills region.

Law enforcement leaders in rural areas say the lack of representation could make it harder for the state to understand how gang activity affects smaller towns. Gang recruitment, they note, often moves across county and state lines — including into Upstate South Carolina and western North Carolina.

As the task force begins its work, Rutherford County residents will be watching to see whether Raleigh includes their concerns in the state’s gang prevention strategy.