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The ultimate goal of a gang investigation is to find the truth. What happened? Who did it? How? As law enforcement officers, how do we arrive at the truth? What is our part in the game plan? Here are some suggestions that may be useful for patrol personnel, detectives and follow-up investigators when dealing with witnesses and victims of gang crimes.
Read More →These Chicago-based gangs follow strict dress codes and use body language as a nonverbal form of communication. A gang member can simply cross his arms to "announce" his gang affiliation.
Read More →Skinhead membership has traditionally drawn from dysfunctional working-class families, and it appears that many skinheads come from broken homes. Members can be as young as 13 and as old as 25. They typically possess average intelligence, but are often poorly educated.
Read More →The Crips and Bloods have now moved into their second generations, and traditions are being established within these gang families. The street gang lifestyle has become an acceptable way of living for some families.
Read More →The Southeast Asian street gang is a fairly new threat on the gang battlefield. Their presence was first noted by law enforcement officials in Southern California in the late 1970s.
Read More →Getting the case to court and obtaining a favorable decision by the bench or jury is always the goal in a gang investigation. And one of the greatest assets to any case is, of course, the witnesses. How do you solicit cooperation and a commitment to testify in court from these unique witnesses?
Read More →You get dispatched to a possible gang shooting. When you arrive, the scene looks like it came straight out of' the movies. Family members are present and are hysterical. Several gang members are just milling around, and a lifeless body is on the sidewalk.
Read More →Obviously, not all graffiti is gang graffiti. But once you are able to decipher their source and secret messages, graffiti becomes a useful source of information.
Read More →Photos, jewelry, hairstyles and body piercing are among the obvious physical traits investigators look for when profiling gangs. But understanding how the members think, act and feel also can help police develop a rapport with members, and in turn, help expedite gang-related investigations.
Read More →When citizens hear the word "gang," they usually conjure up stereotypical images of Hispanic, Asian, black or white thugs roaming inner-city streets. But most cops working the gang detail understand that looks can be deceiving.
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