Chesapeake is one of seven municipalities comprising Virginia’s Hampton Roads region. It’s a beautiful area, close to water, with a strong military presence.
Like any city, Chesapeake works through issues with crime, and the Chesapeake Police Department has spent years mitigating gang activity. They’ve become experts at spotting signs, building trust with residents, and partnering with the community to make neighborhoods safer. In particular, Chesapeake has seen an increase in hybrid gangs, which don’t follow typical gang structures and have become more prevalent in multifamily housing communities.
“Young children living in public housing join hybrid gangs typically due to a lack of a family structure, the search for love, and having a sense of being,” Det. Nicolette Levine explained. “Regardless of whether or not it’s a positive sense of being, love is love at the end of the day, no matter where you get it or what you do to get it.”
At VAHCDO's 2025 Annual Conference, Levine shared practical advice for housing agencies on spotting and preventing gang activity. Here’s a look at some of her key takeaways.
Why young children are pulled into gangs
When children don’t have strong role models or a stable home life, they often look elsewhere for connection and belonging. Gangs offer what many youngsters lack: a sense of family, security, and identity. And recruitment starts younger than you might think.
“It starts with little kids,” Levine said. “People are typically shocked when I say gang members start recruiting these kids as early as fifth grade.”
Recruiting younger children also carries less risk for gangs. Juveniles are less likely to face serious prison time, making them easier to use for illegal activity.
Youth are drawn to gangs for a lot of reasons:
- Protection and safety
- Respect and status
- Family tradition
- Peer pressure
- A sense of belonging
- Access to shelter and money
- Feeling valued
“It’s usually the younger kids being influenced by the older, but still very young adults,” Levine explained.
What is hybrid gang culture?
In multifamily housing communities, hybrid gangs are common. These groups don’t follow traditional gang structures. Instead, they consist of a mix of ethnicities and rival affiliations.
The U.S. Department of Justice defines hybrid gang culture by a few traits:
- Diverse membership
- Individuals participating in multiple gangs
- Loose or nonexistent rules
- Use of symbols from different gangs
- Rival gangs working together on crimes
- Smaller groups merging into larger ones
How property managers can build stronger partnerships with police
One thing Levine stressed is that, in many communities, there’s not enough trust between housing authorities and local law enforcement. That lack of connection can allow problems to grow.
So what can you or your property manager do?
- Set up a meeting with the local police and introduce yourself.
- Invite officers to attend community events.
- Encourage officers to visit the property regularly and meet residents.
- Keep the lines of communication open.
- Ask what information they need to help keep your community safe.
“You want to protect your tenants, and you don’t want to put your tenants out there. I understand that,” Levine said. “But we need to find a middle ground,” Levine said.
Warning signs of gang activity
Trap houses
Gang members often target elderly residents or those with physical or mental disabilities, taking over their units to run illegal activities. These homes, known as trap houses, usually have a lot of short, frequent visits from cars.
“Throughout the year, you’ll see different homes turn into trap houses,” Levine explained. “You’ll see a high volume of cars going to that house and people quickly going in and leaving.”
If property managers or residents report suspicious activity early, it can push gangs to move elsewhere.
Social media
Today’s gangs use social media heavily to promote themselves and conduct business. Levine said gangs are filming music videos on housing authority properties, showing off firearms, throwing gang signs, and naming the neighborhoods they control on Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms.
If a tenant shows you a concerning social media post, grab a screenshot and report it immediately. Police can often use that evidence, whether it’s an account name, live video, story, or something else, as long as the post doesn’t get deleted before they can screenshot or record it.
Also, if your property gets tagged in posts, it can drive more unwanted traffic.
Graffiti
Gangs often tag buildings to mark territory. If you spot graffiti:
- Take pictures for police evidence.
- Remove it as soon as possible.
- Don’t let it stay up. Graffiti acts like a billboard for gang presence.
“You don’t want that to live in your neighborhood because that allows the kids to feel more emboldened because they live and run in the neighborhood,” Levine said. “Unfortunately, it’s still up in many of our neighborhoods. The longer it’s up there, the more pictures are taken and the more guns you start to see in photos next to the graffiti.”
Protecting your property: What works
Security cameras
Security footage can be one of the best tools you have. While witnesses fear testifying due to concerns of retaliation and safety, cameras are not intimidated.
Security cameras serve as the ultimate witness as long as they are installed properly and a housing authority staff member or someone responsible for the camera system can validate the footage as unaltered. The footage can then be played in court and serve as proof of criminal activity.
Tips for camera placement:
- Cover main entrances and key areas.
- Install cameras high enough to avoid tampering.
- Add extra lighting. While shootings can and do occur during the day, lighting alone has proven to be a crime deterrent.
“At night, you want to have your property as well-lit as possible,” Levine said.
Trespassing signs and authorization forms
Clear trespassing signs give police a legal reason to intervene. In addition, Levine suggests signing a Property Owner’s Authorization Form, allowing police to act on your behalf without needing a property manager to be physically present.
If an arrest is made, the police department can pass along the case number and other pertinent information to the agency staff afterward.
Levine recommends focusing on individuals who are truly causing problems when establishing the authorization form and not casting a wide net that risks unnecessary arrests.
“It’s something that has helped us,” Levine said. “I’ve been able to call the property manager with the case number and the name of the individual we trespassed and why.”
Providing young children alternatives
One of the more powerful ways to prevent gang involvement is offering children access to better options, including after-school activities and sports programs. Several housing authorities that launched creative programs identified in the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation’s report “PHA Pathways to Advancing Equity” include:
- The Housing Authority of the City of Asheville’s Marvelous Math Club
- Rise and Shine with Gainesville Housing Authority
- Seattle Housing Authority’s Digital Navigators
- Boulder Housing Partners’ Bringing School Home Program
- Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority’s Early Childhood Initiative
Bottom line
The Chesapeake Police Department’s strategies to mitigate gang activity, violence, and crime can serve as a model for housing agencies nationwide. By building trust with residents, working closely with property managers, and addressing issues early—especially among young children lacking positive resources—agencies can help prevent gang influence from taking root. Strong partnerships, early intervention, and community engagement are key to safer neighborhoods.
HAI Group policyholders: Contact your designated risk control consultant to request a customized on-site survey or provide a security assessment.
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