Pierce County Council members applauded the successes of Prosecutor Mark Lindquist’s gang unit Tuesday and awarded his budget an additional $190,000 through the end of the year.

The money will pay for two prosecutors and associated staff to keep the gang unit running through the end of the year, Lindquist said. His total annual budget is about $26 million.

The unit’s emphasis on prosecuting local gang members has sent nearly three dozen members of the Hilltop Crips to prison for an aggregate total in the hundreds of years, he added.

Last month, Lindquist held a press conference to talk about what he called a “victory for the community.” You can read the press release issued then here.

Lindquist told County Council members Tuesday that his office will continue vigorous pursuit of gang crime in Pierce County. It’s not just an urban problem, gang-related violence and crimes are happening in the suburbs and rural areas, too, he said.