More than 800 Tulare County residents attended the Tulare Gang Awareness Forums on April 15 and April 22.

The forums aimed to educate the public on gang prevention and suppression strategies, community safety, and how residents could get involved in combating gang activity.

Both forums featured a one-hour resource fair, a guest presentation, and a panel of guest speakers that addressed gang issues and answered questions from the public. The panel included: District Two Supervisor Pete Vander Poel; Tulare Mayor Craig Vejvoda; Sheriff Bill Wittman; Tulare Police Chief Jerry Breckinridge; District Attorney Phil Cline; and Probation Chief Janet Honadle.

The Tulare Gang Awareness Forums is a partnership between the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, City of Tulare, Tulare Police Department, Tulare County Sheriff's Department, Tulare County District Attorney's Office, Tulare County Probation Department, Tulare City Elementary School District, and the Tulare Joint Union High School District.