Police announce 31 arrests in gang sweep

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Police arrested 31 people in the last week who they say were either gang members or associates of the city’s most violent gang.

Tuesday, police and city leaders held a news conference to announce arrests and federal indictments for a variety of drug and weapons charges during the ongoing gang sweep. Police said they have identified 68 gang members with local and state arrest warrants during their long-term investigation that began more than a year ago.

Oregon's U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall said it was necessary to bring federal charges as the city fights gang violence.

"I was really struck by the enormity of the problem," said Marshall.

Police said more arrests are coming.

The investigation focused on the “Rollin’ 60s” Crip gang, which police said is the city’s most violent and dangerous. Police told KATU News the Rollin’ 60s has been in Portland for more than 20 years handing down crime techniques within families.

According to Police Chief Mike Reese, the gang controls much of the city’s drug trade and is directly involved in most of the city’s recent gang violence.

“The Rollin’ 60s aren’t just toxic, they’re criminals,” said Mayor Sam Adams. “It’s going to take the entire community to put them out of business.”

Police said they targeted the Rollin’ 60s gang because it’s well-established.

“It’s a generational gang with multiple family members involved in it,” said Chief Mike Reese.

According to police, gang members wear Seattle Mariners clothes. The ‘S’ stands for “60s” and the blue represents the Crips' gang color.

Police said they have made 402 arrests this year alone for various crimes that carry a mandatory prison sentence.

This year saw the death of a 13-year-old boy who claimed an affiliation with a Mexican-American street gang called the Surenos.

Portland Police have tried to stem the violence by dispatching response teams to incidents that might involve gangs — mostly shootings, stabbings and serious assaults. Gang-related deaths have remained steady in Portland since 2000, ranging from two a year to a high of seven in 2003, 2004 and this year.

In October, the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Deandre Clark set off a series of retaliatory shootings, culminating in the arrest of four men who police said were driving with a loaded .357 magnum in plain sight.

In September, six teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 suffered gunshot wounds after violence broke out in the northeast part of the city. Investigators learned that two men had fired into a crowd of people and fled.