FREE e-Newsletter
Important News - Hot Topics
Get them Now!
Authors
Richard Valdemar

Richard Valdemar

Sgt. Richard Valdemar retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after spending most of his 33 years on the job combating gangs.
Archives
February 2010 (1)
January 2010 (1)
December 2009 (3)
November 2009 (1)
October 2009 (1)
September 2009 (3)
August 2009 (2)
July 2009 (2)
June 2009 (2)
May 2009 (4)
April 2009 (2)
March 2009 (2)
February 2009 (3)
January 2009 (1)
December 2008 (4)
November 2008 (2)
October 2008 (3)
September 2008 (3)
August 2008 (2)
July 2008 (4)
June 2008 (3)
May 2008 (3)
April 2008 (3)
March 2008 (4)
February 2008 (4)
January 2008 (3)
December 2007 (2)
November 2007 (4)
October 2007 (1)
September 2007 (4)
August 2007 (2)
July 2007 (3)
June 2007 (4)
May 2007 (2)
Police Career Center
Gangs

Blog - Gangs

Displaying 1  -  10  of  88
Photo courtesy of [junio] Don't think just shoot

Criminal Gangs and the Perfect Storm  

February 2, 2010
If you live in one of the cities that accepted Katrina refugees, you know what followed. While most Katrina survivors were appreciative of their host communities and generally law abiding, the criminal element, mostly gangs, soon returned to their thug lifestyles.
Tavo (a gang moniker) poses for photos in homes in the Echo Park section of Los Angeles in the 1990s. Photo courtesy of Richard Valdemar.

Gangster Clothing: Dressing for Success In Prison  

January 25, 2010
No one in a predatory environment wanted tight, close-fitting clothing. Status in custody was displayed by wearing new, especially large baggy clothing, ironed or pressed to military-like creases.

In Foot Pursuit of a Grinch  

December 22, 2009
As we began our shift, we passed a residential area in the Mariana Maravillas gang turf. I saw two middle-aged men coming out of a sliding glass door at the side of one residence. The house was on my side (passenger side) of the car and like Santa Claus each man carried a big cloth bag slung over a shoulder. For a nanosecond one of the hype burglars' eyes met mine.
Tags: Burglary

How to Assess Gang Threats   Law Enforcement Only

December 10, 2009
Most gangs frown on a policy of open Jihad against the police. Their natural enemies are not the police but rival gangs. Traditionally, the police were more of an annoyance and only collateral targets if at all.

The Grape Street Gang, the CCO, and Honcho Day  Law Enforcement Only

December 2, 2009
In the mid-1980s these crack and PCP drug wars exploded into unprecedented violence and open gang wars on the streets of Los Angeles and Compton. The evolution of fortified crack houses with iron sally port entrances and video surveillance and the appearance of gang members wearing body armor who engaged in firefights using military-style weapons and multiple shooters, forced the police to play catch-up tactically. And the cost in human lives was staggering.

The Rise of Muslim Gangs  

November 4, 2009
In 2001 large numbers of Somali immigrants began migrating to Maine bringing their clan rivalries and their love of khat with them. Since then these Somali rival gangs, or "clans" as they prefer, have taken root in such far flung U.S. cities as; Lewiston (Maine), Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Kansas City and Garden City (Kansas), and San Diego.
Photo courtesy of Leonard John Matthews (Flickr.com).

The Buela Street Witch  

October 29, 2009
Vetrovec and I were at the south window in hyper-vigilance mode, when one of the Geraghty homeboys pulled down the plywood covering the living room door, and the three Geraghty homeboys stepped inside.

Failed and Fruitful Tactics for Combating Gangs  

September 28, 2009
Any teacher, preacher, lawyer, cop, psychologist, gang crime victim, good mother, or good father would be more effective in gang prevention than a dozen "ex-gang members."

Los Wonder Boys and the Mexican Sureño Movement  

September 24, 2009
Mexican authorities continue to report a steady rise in "Sureño" gang activity in San Luis, Mexico. This has become a serious concern for both Mexican law enforcement and the general public.

Gang Enablers and Co-Dependents  Law Enforcement Only

September 15, 2009
These supposed “non-gang” gang supporters are too often shown leniency by the prosecutors and courts. They have as much culpability for the acts of the gang members they support as the actual drug dealing murderers. The bloody violence clearly stains the gang supporter’s hands as well, and it is their actions that make the violence possible.
« Previous123456789Next »
Get Your FREE Trial Issue and Win a Gift! Subscribe Today!
Yes! Please rush me my FREE TRIAL ISSUE of POLICE magazine and FREE Officer Survival Guide with tips and tactics to help me safely get out of 10 different situations.

Just fill in the form to the right and click the button to receive your FREE Trial Issue.

If POLICE does not satisfy you, just write "cancel" on the invoice and send it back. You'll pay nothing, and the FREE issue is yours to keep. If you enjoy POLICE, pay only $25 for a full one-year subscription (12 issues in all). Enjoy a savings of over 60% off the cover price!

Offer valid in US only. Outside U.S., click here.
It's easy! Just fill in the form below and click the red button to receive your FREE Trial Issue.
First Name:
Last Name:
Rank:
Agency:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
We respect your privacy. Please let us know if the address provided is your home, as your RANK / AGENCY will not be included on the mailing label.
E-mail Address:

Enewsletter Subscription:
Police Magazine