Although not a major issue, gang activity is a concern in Warren County, according to law enforcement.

Several gangs have members in Bowling Green, but the one credited with the most graffiti is Sur 13, a Hispanic-based gang also known as the Surenos, which means southern in Spanish, said Officer Matt Edwards, gang expert for the Bowling Green Police Department and a member of the Midwest Gang Investigators Association.

Although street gangs are not a significant problem, there is some minor organizing going on, he said.

There aren’t a related string of activities attributed to any one gang, Edwards said.

&#8220They are involved in random things,” he said.

There have been incidents credited to Sur 13, including a criminal mischief case in August during which a man damaged five vehicles while shouting the gang’s name.

Mario Escobar, 27, 1234 Kentucky St., was charged with first-degree criminal mischief and third-degree terroristic threatening in connection with that, according to Bowling Green police. Police said Escobar threatened a city officer while at the Warren County Regional Jail. The case is still pending.

The gang also may have been involved in a drive-by shooting at an apartment complex at 900 Vine St. in September 2003.

Two men were injured in the shooting, which occurred after a verbal altercation involving eight people, according to the original report.

&#8220The majority of gang members I know about are in jail,” Edwards said. &#8220I couldn’t even take a guess on how many of them are in Warren County.”

In June, the jail adopted a policy based on recommendations from the Kentucky Department of Corrections on how to deal with gang members. Jailer Jackie Strode said at the time that gangs had not been a problem at the jail.

Gang activity is something the police department keeps a close eye on, Edwards said, and the department works proactively to keep gangs from becoming a problem.

&#8220We are active in our neighborhood associations,” he said. &#8220They’ll make us aware of any problems. We want to stop any potential problems before it becomes a problem.”

Staff at the jail also inform Edwards when someone comes into the facility with gang tattoos or other markings, he said.

Although 99 percent of motorcycle riders and organizations are law-abiding citizens, outlaw gangs do make occasional appearances in Bowling Green, according to Capt. Brent Brown of the Warren County Sheriff’s Department. They come to Bowling Green for large motorcycle events, but aren’t an everyday fixture in Warren County, he said.

Motorcycle gang members don’t go out of their way to get attention by advertising their activities or painting graffiti, he said.

&#8220But they wear their colors, so you do know when they’re around,” Brown said.

Most motorcycle gang members wear vests that include the insignia and name of the group, he said.

Members of the Outlaws, Hells Angels and Sons of Silence live within the state, Brown said. Another gang called the Grim Reapers also visits the area.

&#8220Statewide there are probably 35 members of outlaw motorcycle gangs living in Kentucky,” he said.

There’s no estimate available on how many may live in or around Warren County, Brown said.

Motorcycle gangs are involved primarily in drug trafficking, particularly crystal methamphetamine, he said, as well as the trade of stolen motorcycles and to some extent, prostitution and extortion.

The area hasn’t had any large scale drug trafficking arrests at this point that can be attributed to gangs, said Tommy Loving, director of the Bowling Green-Warren County Drug Task Force.

The large motorcycle events that come to Bowling Green attract members of the outlaw groups along with law-abiding motorcycle clubs, he said. Law enforcement maintains a large scale presence to deter any potential crimes, Brown said.

&#8220We’ve seen them come in and out of the area, but they haven’t caused any large problems,” he said.

The AMRA Harley-Davidson Drag Finals that began Thursday and continue through Sunday at Beech Bend Park is one of those events.

There are always rumors of illegal activity when a number of motorcycle enthusiasts are in one area, Brown said. The majority of those rumors are misinformation and sometimes come from the gangs themselves.