Citing a rash of youth violence and the drive-by shooting death of a 14-year-old boy, a D.C. Council member on Tuesday proposed expanding the police department’s Hispanic gang unit to also combat black gangs.

D.C. Council Member Jim Graham, in a letter sent to Mayor Adrian Fenty and Police Chief Cathy Lanier, said that there had been only one Hispanic gang-related death sincethe D.C. police department formed its Gang Intervention Partnership four years ago.