Police Magazine

Richard Valdemar

Sergeant (Ret.)

Sgt. Richard Valdemar retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after spending most of his 33 years on the job combating gangs. For the last 20 years, he was assigned to Major Crimes Bureau. He was also cross-designated as an FBI agent for 10 years of his career when he served on the Federal Metropolitan Gang Task Force. From 1995 until his retirement in 2004, Valdemar was a member of the California Prison Gang Task Force, helping prosecute members of the Mexican Mafia.

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•August 30, 2013

Is Mexican Cartel Activity In the U.S. Exaggerated?

Many of the Mexican cartel crimes in the illegal alien community go unreported. The ugly crimes of kidnapping, human trafficking, extortion, gang violence, and unsolved murders are often committed by Mexican cartel members in cities across the United States but remain unreported.

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•July 9, 2013

Gangsterish Athletes and Their Entourages

Like so many lucky lotto winners, the same fame and financial fortune that helps them escape the ghetto contributes to bringing them down. This is especially true for success stories with gang backgrounds. The entourage of these celebrity gangsters always includes their gangster friends.

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•June 5, 2013

Why We Should Hire Returning Veterans

Like war, police work can be an ugly job. Like military service, it can be dangerous physically and psychologically. But who's better prepared to endure that crucible than our returning combat veterans?

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•March 25, 2013

'Evil Evan' Ebel and the 211 Crew

The 211 Crew is a white-supremacist prison gang. The loosely structured group had its early formation in the Denver County Jail, and its members included a wanna-be rapper and white inmate whose crime partner was black.

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•July 17, 2012

The Black Guerrilla Family Prison Gang

The Black Guerrilla Family was founded by George Jackson, a former Black Panther and excellent orator who rallied inmates by speaking about the system's injustice to prisoners, especially black inmates. He vowed to form an organization that would support his imprisoned people like a family and become a vanguard in the coming revolution against the U.S. government.

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•May 15, 2012

Sensitive Needs Yards (SNY) Gangs

Dropouts, jail informants, child molesters, and other "softies" segregated in the Sensitive Needs Yards (SNY) of California prisons are forming gang sets of their own. Unencumbered by the big four prison gangs that control the main yards, they use their criminal skills and the power of intimidation of their new dropout gang.

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•March 14, 2012

Sureños: Understanding Kanpol and Pilli

Sureños identify with the color blue and use tattoos with the number 13, sureño, sur, south sider, or "kanpol" (a word taken from the ancient Aztec language of Nahuatl that means southerner).

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•December 27, 2011

Knocking Down Barrio Azteca

The Barrio Azteca gang members organize themselves using a paramilitary structure and apply English terms or their Spanish equivalent words for ranks such as captain, lieutenant, and sergeant. By current estimates, more than 2,000 members make up their ranks. They often use the letters "BA" or numbers "21" as their identifying symbols and tattoos.

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•October 27, 2011

Medical Marijuana: California's Biggest Losers

Wake up California; you've been sold a lie. This lie has allowed the Mexican (and other) cartels and gangs to produce huge crops of unregulated marijuana here in our state. These fields produce hybrid dope high in THC content and high in illicit profit. For this, some men are willing to kill.

Inside the Badge •by Richard Valdemar•October 20, 2011

Gang Profile: Varrio Hawaiian Gardens

Varrio Hawaiian Gardens was a Sureño gang fiercely loyal to the Mexican Mafia, and the Mafia was in a racial war against Blacks. Varrio Hawaiian Gardens (HG) was also known as the "Hate Gang" because of the hate crimes it had committed against African Americans.

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