Chief Garlock, Sheriff Beck wrong about gang fears

As a concerned resident of Lima, I disagree with Sheriff Dan Beck and Police Chief Greg Garlock about their belief of two gangs surfacing around Reese Avenue and St. Johns.

As a family member and growing up in the 900 block of Reese Avenue, I can say that I am 100 percent sure we are not a gang. We are a very close-knit family. As far as I can remember, we always have visited our grandparents' home, which is in the 900 block of Reese Avenue. So, if that's the case, then every resident in Lima belongs to a gang, including the Sheriff's Office and the Lima Police Department.

They don't always see eye to eye. I think speculation only makes the problem worse. It's easy for the Sheriff's Office and the Police Department to say gangs and organized crime, which means the feds would step in and a lot of people would get locked up.

Society has put labels on people like the Reese Streeters, EZ-Checks, etc. We have first and last names. We even have some police officers address us that way, and it's total disrespect.