At a press conference held today, Fresno mayor Alan Autry and police chief Jerry Dyer announced plans to crack down on westside gangs. Fresno City Council member Jerry Duncan, stressing the urgency of this effort compared the campaign to the war on terror. Duncan, speaking about gang members, said "make no mistake about it, they are terrorists and they are as much of terrorists as those people in Iraq that are blowing up innocent people." Mayor Autry said "the connection with the war on terror and the war against gangs at home is not a spin, it is a very real connection."

Police Chief Dyer outlined the strategy for defeating gangs in West Fresno. He said "effective today the police department will deploy a new tactical unit specifically designed to eliminate West Fresno gang activity. The West Fresno gang team, will operate similar to the Bulldog Tactical Team conducting citywide high-visibility targeted enforcement of West Fresno gang members with an emphasis in Southwest Fresno where violent gang crime has occurred with regularity."

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