Cities use lawsuits to fight gangs

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Law enforcement officials in a number of U.S. cities and states say they are employing civil lawsuits as a means of fighting gangs

Since March more than a dozen lawsuits have been filed in California seeking restraining orders to bar gang members from talking to one another or standing together on public property, USA Today reported Monday.

Bruce Riordan, who heads gang operations for the Los Angeles city attorney, says the suits ask the courts to declare the gang's public behavior a nuisance in order to place limitations on their activities.

In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill in June that allows for civil injunctions against any of the state's estimated 1,500 gangs.

"Injunctions (provide) the power to keep gangs from gathering and holding meetings," Attorney General Bill McCollum of Florida told USA Today.

Cities in Texas, Illinois and Minnesota already have gang injunction laws in place, USA Today reports.

Massachusetts has a gang injunction bill pending in a legislative committee.