Gangs: Virginia Beach’s REAL Resort Area Problem.

Hang onto your wallets Virginia Beach. The midwits running the city are about to blow millions of dollars - again - on idiotic programs aimed at curbing violence at the oceanfront.

Once again, the city is going to pretend to tackle a public safety problem by using a committee comprised of concerned folks and freaks.

Anyone else remember when the Beach curbed violence by plopping barbershop quartets on street corners in the resort area? The theory was, kids with illegal guns would run away with their hands over their ears and stop shooting people once the harmonizing began.

This is worse.

After three shootings last spring and an illegal all-ages curfew at the oceanfront, the city did what any elected group of cowards would do: Instead of acknowledging that this is a law enforcement matter they convened a citizens’ committee made up mostly of people with no public safety experience that came up with a mostly moronic to-do list that will not work.

They know it. We know it.

But no one will admit that the changes are doomed until millions of taxpayer dollars are flushed down the municipal toilet and tourists are still afraid to come out of their hotel rooms after dark.

Virginia Beach has a GANG problem. The “g” word is never spoken publicly however, because it might scare tourists away. Face it, no one wants to wade through a mob of Bloods, Crips and Latin Kings on their way to an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet.

The city has been dropping loads money - $11 million at last count - on propaganda designed to lure new tourists to the area every summer because it’s unlikely anyone who’s dropped hundreds of dollars on an oceanfront hotel room only to hear shots ringing out on Atlantic Avenue is likely to come back.

Then again, the city does have “shot spotter” technology that tells the cops where the shootings occur so ambulances can arrive quickly.

Odd, they never include THAT perk in tourist promotions.

What we need at the resort area is an increased police presence - uniformed and plain clothed and mounted. These officers need to wade through the crowds sending a message that bad behavior will not be tolerated.

Instead, the committee that city council appointed a committee that came up with 27 recommendations.

Gun-free zones, pop up entertainment, job training, etc.

Look, we’ve been dealing with violence at the oceanfront since the 1989 Greekfest riots - sure, it’s ebbed and flowed - but the root problem has remained the same. We’ve got gangs, drugs and illegal guns all over the oceanfront. Scuffles among these armed and excitable teens often turn into shootings.

Turning parts of Atlantic Avenue into a pedestrian mall with entertainment is not going to change that.

News flash: These thugs don't come to the oceanfront to dance and listen to music or to get job training. They’re not looking for mental health counseling, either. Oh, and they spend no money here.

They’re here to make trouble.

But sure, City Council, throw tax dollars at expensive programs that will do nothing. It’s not YOUR money after all.

After the next rash of shootings these cowards will wring their hands and get another committee together. Maybe someone will suggest a return to barbershop quartets

Wouldn’t it be easier to simply swarm the resort area with cops? Who cares if badges make gangs and gang-adjacent miscreants uncomfortable?

Law-abiding folks would find a heavy police presence reassuring.

Then again, no one seems to really care about the law-abiding.