A petition campaign to ask the King County Council to provide funding for a King County Sheriff's gang unit is underway.

"We hope to complete the drive by early March," organizer JoAn Cox said last week.

Mrs. Cox is the mother of King County Sheriff's Deputy Steve Cox, who was killed in the line of duty Dec. 2 while questioning a suspect in a house in White Center.

The man who fatally shot Cox was a known gang member.

Noting that her son's killer "actually lived in Burien," Mrs. Cox said supporters of the campaign "want to assure adequate funding for a gang unit for Precinct Four in honor of Steve.

"I think that statistics show there is a huge increase in gang activity in Burien alone, much higher than anyplace else that Precinct Four covers."

The Sheriff's Office fourth precinct encompasses Southwest King County, including the cities of Burien and SeaTac, which contract with it for local police services, and the North Highline unincorporated area.

Cox was working out of the sheriff's community office in White Center at the time of his death.

Sheriff Sue Rahr did not say whether she supports the petition-gathering effort of Mrs. Cox.

"This is something JoAn has done on her own and with no prodding or suggesting from us," Rahr said.

But, she continued, "We are pleased to see the community rallying to let the sheriff's office, county council and [county Executive] Ron Sims know what their concerns are, and especially what they want to see as far as a police presence and emphasis in their neighborhood.

"After all, the community knows better than anyone what the problems are and what is needed."

Rahr said a dedicated gang emphasis is critical to protecting the White Center neighborhood.

She added, however, there are other neighborhoods where gangs and criminal elements that appear to be gang affiliated are causing problems. One is the area around Pacific Highway South and South 216th Street, which borders SeaTac and Des Moines.

King County Sheriff's Sgt. John Urquhart, a spokesman for the office, said last week the agency has applied for a $300,000 federal grant to help offset the costs of gang enforcement.

King County Councilman Dow Constantine, D-West Seattle, whose district includes both White Center and part of Burien, was not available for comment.

But James Bush, a legislative aide to Constantine, said, "Dow strongly supports restoration of the gang unit ... We will definitely work to do that."

Constantine is a member of the council's budget leadership team.

County Councilwoman Julia Patterson, D-SeaTac, said, I admire [Mrs. Cox's] courage and look forward to reviewing a specific proposal."

Expressing concern about a rise in gang activity, Patterson added, "I supported an increase to the sheriff's budget for 2007 to provide additional staffing and resources."

Urquhart observed that "'gang influence' on crime is emerging after a several year lull."