Moore County has its share of Crips and Bloods and other gangs, the Moore County Board of Commissioners heard Thursday night.

In a presentation on gang prevention prepared by the Juvenile Crime Prevention Partnership, District Attorney Maureen Krueger said the problem is still limited in scope, but she urged the board to appoint a task force to tackle the gang situation from varying angles.

"The sky is not falling, but we do have gangs here," Krueger said during the commissioners' work session. "We definitely have an emerging issue."

Digital photographs illustrating graffitti and other signs of gang activity were shown. One picture showed graffiti on Aberdeen Elementary School and on a private home. Aryan Brotherhood, Crips, Bloods, Hoover Folks, and Low Land Goons are among the better-known gang names that are known to exist in Moore County.

Statistics gathered by local law-enforcement officers show that Robbins has six known members of Hoover Folks; the DBC Dope Clique is active in Southern Pines; three confirmed members of the Low Land Goons operate in Carthage; the Crips have two gangs in Aberdeen; another gang may have members in Cameron and Vass; the Bloods have members in Robbins, Carthage and Vass; and other gangs have representation in Cameron, Eagle Springs, and Vass.

Many other reported cases of gang activity are undocumented, but law-enforcement agencies say they're well aware of their presence.

When taken to the Moore County Jail, one gang member recently asked the jailer to be placed in isolation out of fear that he would be attacked by rival gang members also incarcerated.

Asked by the commissioners about gang presence at the jail, local detention officers said they had documented 22 at the detention facility since August.

Krueger said law enforcement officers need special equipment, such as high-tech cameras, to be more effective in dealing with gangs.

Recommended for the task force are representatives from law enforcement, probation/ parole, Department of Correct-ions, other counties and community partners. Krueger said the task force could work to share information, promote joint education opportunities and reach consensus on standards, among other goals.

Commissioner Cindy Morgan thanked Krueger and the law-enforcement officers for their research on the gang problem.

"It is certainly violent and dangerous," Morgan said of gang activity. Krueger said she was not asking for money from the county -- yet. The commissioners did not take any action on the matter, since the report was presented as information only.