CHARLESTON — CHARLESTON — Criminal gangs have sought to infiltrate the nation’s military as a means of getting training for use in street warfare, a West Virginia National Guard official says.

Brig. Gen. John Hoyer appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week as lawmakers approved a House measure aimed at cracking down on street gangs.

Hoyer told one panelist, Sen. Clark Barnes, R-Randolph, that gang activity is disallowed by members of the National Guard.

So far, the general said afterward, there has been no evidence that any gang member joined the National Guard to hone military skills.

What’s more, if one is detected, the message is swift and clear: There is no room for such in the National Guard.

“We’ve had specific cases in the past where we’ve had members who have had potential gang affiliation, but none that we know of specifically that have infiltrated for the purpose of combat training,” he said.

“However, they have had that situation occur on active duty.”

Anyone proven to be associated with a gang is tossed out of the ranks, Hoyer said.

“It is not authorized to be a member of an active component of the military or the National Guard and be a member of an active gang,” he added.

Retitled the Anti-Organized Criminal Enterprise Act, the bill was crafted by Delegate Tiffany Lawrence, D-Jefferson, in response to calls for help from police in dealing with gangs.

Since the bill was offered, Lawrence said, she has learned that 19 specific areas of West Virginia have become havens for gang activities.

Besides her own Eastern Panhandle region, she said gang influence has been felt in a number of cities, including Beckley and Huntington.

Her bill would hand police more authority by making it a crime for gangs to attempt to recruit students for the purpose of taking part in crimes.

The bill was amended by a Senate judiciary subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Bill Laird, D-Fayette, so that anti-racial profiling training is mandatory for police.

Lawrence said this aspect would likely run up a $2,500 bill for the course that police officers could take online.

“We’ve seen numerous reports of drug trafficking and rape and prostitution, and all these criminal acts that are happening in our state, whether we want to realize it or not,” she reflected after the House approved the measure with only three opposition votes.

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com