WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Wichita police say they are seeing changes in the way the city's gangs operate.

Police say members of what were once rival gangs are sometimes joining forces. In the past, gang members were usually severely punished if they associated with members of other gangs.

Police call them hybrid gangs.

Wichita detective Chad Beard says the hybrid gangs will sometimes form to accomplish a specific task, whether it's a crime or just going to movies together. Then they usually disband.

The Wichita Eagle reports (http://bit.ly/LBZQLm) hybrid gangs have been around for a decade but they are becoming more common. And experts say they are more likely to form in smaller cities like Wichita than they are in larger cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

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Information from: The Wichita Eagle, http://www.kansas.com