2 Updated 10/2010 850,000 - Gang members in 31,000 gangs in the United States 300,000 - Gang members in over 2,000 gangs in California 150,000 - Gang members in over 1000 gangs in Los Angeles County 20,000 - Gang members in Orange County 10,000 - Gang members in San Diego County 1,000 - Gang members in Imperial County • Estimated Strengths Circ: 2008 • 97,000 LA County Gang Members • 6,700 Female Gang Members (6.7%) • 28,400 Black Gang Members • 58,800 Hispanic Gang Members • 3,500 Asian Gang Members • 311 Black Gangs (83 Blood) • 573 Hispanic Gangs • 104 Asian Gangs • 28 White Gangs • 18,000 LA Morgue Bodies Processed • 326 Gang Fatalities in 2009 • These numbers are based on actual identified members, not estimates (2009) A group of three or more persons who are united by a common ideology that revoles around criminal activity • Gangs are not part of one’s ethnic culture • Gangs are part of a criminal culture • The gang comes before religion, family, marriage, community, friendship and the law. “Barney” Mayberry Crips - Criminal Gangs: Members conspire or commit criminal acts for the benefit of the gang - Traditional Gangs: Common name or symbol and claim territory - Non-Traditional Gangs: Do not claim territory, but may have a location that members frequent • Taggers/Bombers • Party Crews • Rappers Young tagger in training • Gothics • Punks • Stoners • Car Clubs • SHARP Skin Heads • Occult Gangs Identity or Recognition - Allows a gang member to achieve a level or status he feels impossible outside the gang culture. They visualize themselves as warriors protecting their neighborhood. Protection - Kids join because they live in a gang area and are subject to violence by rival gangs. Membership guarantees support and retaliation. Brotherhood - The gang is a substitute for family. Many older brothers & relatives belong to the gang. Intimidation - Kids may be forced to join through intimidation, such as extorting lunch money and/or beatings. • Absence of productive community activities • Too much unstructured, non-supervised time • Emotional needs are not being met at home • Poverty, Profit, and Hopelessness • Family Tradition of Gang Membership • Absence of someone to model a strong work ethic • Lack of parental interest and support • Failure by parents to stress religious or community values • Inability to achieve success in school, sports or work “Our Gang” from the 1930’s “Little Rascals” comedy series • “Spanky”- Died of alcohol poisoning • “Alfalfa” – Died in a drug rip-off • “Mickey” – aka: Robert Blake, arrested for murder • “Buckwheat” – Died of a heart attack, rumored “Darla” “Spanky” “Alfalfa” “Mickey” “Buckwheat” to be a alcoholic • “Darla” – Died of hepatitis • Demonstrates a lack of academic achievement in school • Is disciplined repeatedly for behavior problems at school • Fails to attend classes or is chronically absent • Lacks productive hobbies to occupy his free time • Draws gang graffiti • Draws tattoos on his body • Has friends who dress in gang attire • Resides in a neighborhood where gangs are active • Has older siblings who are in a gang or friends whose older siblings are in gangs • Expresses a desire to dress in gang clothes such as baggy pants, oversized t-shirts, bandannas, etc. • Acquires a new set of friends while ignoring old friends • A change of hair and/or clothing styles, wearing jewelry, piercing his ears • A unexplained increase spending money and/or possession of expensive items • Indications of drug or alcohol abuse • Frequently challenges parental authority, increase in swearing • Failing grades, truancy, and disciplinary problems at school • Displays of disrespect or hatred toward law enforcement • Wearing the same color clothing day in and day out • Writing or doodling in gang script and symbols • Signs of fighting – cuts & bruises that the youth refuses to explain • Becoming very secretive about his social life and time outside the home • In 2008, an average of 15 young people (age 10 to 14) each day were murdered. Roughly 82 percent of those victims were killed by firearms. • In 2009, more than 750,000 young people in the same age group were treated in emergency rooms for injuries substained due to violence. • Direct and indirect costs for youth violence exceeds $158 Billion annually. This includes medical costs and lost productivity. Center for Disease Control LEADERSHIP • Gang Leaders are typically older members with long criminal records. • They direct the gang’s criminal activity. • Leaders typically rise to the top by committing ruthless acts of violence. HARD CORE MEMBERS • Members are devoted to the gang and its criminal activities. • They carry out the gang’s day-to-day criminal operations, including acts of violence. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS • Associate members are active gang members who readily identify themselves as a member of the gang but are not generally involved with the heavy violence associated with hard-core members. FRINGE MEMBERS • A Fringe Member is generally a younger person who lives in the gang’s neighborhood and hangs out on the fringe of the gang. • Fringe members are reluctant to declare affiliation with the gang, but nevertheless will hangout with the gang. Sometimes gang members make it easy for law enforcement to stop and question them about their gang status. What would be your probable cause be for this detainment? Fresno County Sheriff 0509 The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department uses the following criteria to identify gang members • Self admission of gang member • Tattoos depicting gang affiliations • Style of dress consistent with gang membership • Possession of gang graffiti on personal property or clothing • Use of hand signs or symbols associated with gangs • Reliable informant identifies person as a gang member • Associates with known gang members • Prior arrests with known gang members • Statements from family members indicating gang membership • Other LE agencies identify subject as a gang member • Attendance at gang functions or known gang hang outs • Identified by other gang members or rival gang members • Note: The factors listed are guidelines only. Not to be confused with traditional street gangs, car clubs provide meaningful alternatives to gang recruitment Thousands of gang related web sites have appeared on the world wide web. Web sites like “crips.com” or “bloods.com” provide excellent intelligence, although the information should be taken with a grain of salt considering the source. The web site www.ganginformation.com provides an excellent link source for many of these sites. www.ganginformation.com GUMBALL MACHINE “HOMIE” COLLECTABLES Teen Angels Magazine is a Hispanic gang oriented monthly magazine available by subscription or at newsstands. It is produced in Rialto, Ca and claims to provide the “best arte, pic’s, graffiti, pen pals, poems from the pinta and nationwide varrios”. Public events may be used to recruit, create a positive image, or hold regional strategy sessions for gangs or ex-gang members. Do not overlook the intelligence value of personal photos. While conducting searches involving gang members, always be on the look-out for “roll-call” photos that they like to keep. These photos will provide excellent intelligence to help solve gang crime. This is a photo of a Asian gang member This is a photo of a with a light anti-tank rocket. The photo Aryan Brotherhood was used successfully to conduct a Prison Gang member follow-up weapons Investigation with his mother. He gave it to a member of Some photos are simply the Mexican Mafia pathetic, here we see Prison Gang as “sagging” taken to the collateral for a drug extreme…. deal Female gang members are often tasked with carrying the weapons and drugs This is a photo of Paul “Cowboy” Perez, a member of the Cantaranas Street Gang in Whittier, just before he was killed by his own gang. It seems “Cowboy” did a failed hit on a Mexican Mafia member without closing the deal. The gang killed him to prevent the Mexican Mafia from learning about the gang’s involvement in the hit. The photo was used as evidence against the gang. “Cowboy’s” memorial flyer put out by his gang Even the homeboys like to take pictures. Earlier in the day, member’s of this gang posed with some of their favorite weapons and gang signs. Later that night, one of their “homie’s” was gunned down in a drive-by shooting. The photo’s at left depict their attempt to transport him to the hospital. The three strikes law, “use a gun go to prison”, and stiffer prison sentences have all helped reduce crime on the streets Dep. Lavey Inmate after Extraction Gang related activity in the US military is increasing and poses a threat to law enforcement officials and national security. Members of nearly every major street gang have been identified on military installations. Unofficial estimates suggest as many as 20,000 soldiers and sailors have sworn allegiance to one gang or another. Gang members enlist for a variety of reasons such as to obtain military tactics training, weapons or to escape their current gangster lifestyle. Gang Armored Vehicles In January 2008, Gang Officers pulled over a fully armored Cadillac Esplande that was being driven by local gangsters. The SUV was fully armored, including firing ports out the back. The officers had to rely upon the Motor Vehicle Code to secure the vehicle as un- roadworthy. It was overweight and it had shatter resistant windows. 1992 LA Riots “Kill the Police” “Kill a cop…not a slob” No its not cerebral palsy or is it? • Hand signs are used by gang members to identify their gang membership or to antagonize members of other gangs. • Some gangs have elaborate hand and body signals, so advanced, that they can have complete conversations without saying a word. • These signs are frequently used when they don't want others to know what they are about to do.