The month of July saw a plethora of gang arrests from two alleged members of the Ghost Faced gang arrested in the Floyd County Jail for beating another inmate to six people arrested for beating two men on Callahan Street claiming to be a member of the Bloods gang.

Two of Floyd County’s top law enforcement officials have launched a public awareness campaign that includes billboardw with two telephone numbers where gang related activity can be reported.

A billboard on U.S. 27 south featuring District Attorney Leigh Patterson and Sheriff Tim Burkhalter says “Gangs want our kids..They Can’t have them.”

The campaign was spawned by something Burkhalter saw will on vacation in Florida, Patterson said. Burkhalter asked her if she would like to do the billboard and she agreed.

Burkhalter said it is time to be proactive when it comes to gangs.

In May the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms issued a news release saying several crimes in Rome were gang related, including the murder of 26-year-old Justin Jamil Foster. He was shot at the Chevy Club in April. Twenty-one year old Randy Clowers is charged with his murder.

Patterson and Burkhalter stress that the public can help.

The number for the teen info line is 706-252-1031 and the number for the crime line is 706-236-5000.

Lamar Advertising donated the billboard space and the billboards were paid for out of Patterson’s campaign fund and the Sheriff’s Youth Initiative Fund.

(WRGA/www.wrgarome.com)