WEAPONS, DRUGS, AND

GANGS

STABILIZATION OF LARGE CITY DRUG MARKETS

• INCREASED POLICE EFFORT IN LARGE CITIES

• DECREASED CRIME RATES

• DISPLACEMENT THEORY

MOVEMENT OF GANG MEMBERS INTO SMALLER

CITIES

• LESS POLICE PRESENCE• LESS SOPHISTICATED LAW

ENFORCEMENT• NEW DRUG MARKETS / LESS

COMPETITION• HIGHER PROFITS• NEW RECRUITS

TEST MARKETING DRUG AREAS

• DRUG CREWS, POSSES, GANGS• BUS TERMINALS

• INTERDICTION• DRUGS HIDDEN IN BODY

CAVITIES• JOCK STRAPS• FEMALE CARRIERS

VIOLENCE ON THE STREETS

• TURF WARS OVER DRUG CORNERS

• DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS

• LOCAL GANGS VS SUPER GANGS

• WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE MONEY

PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS ON THE STREET

• GUNS - TOOLS OF THE TRADE• OFFICER SAFETY ISSUES• CODE WORDS – SIGNS• HIDDEN THREATS

• STRAW PURCHASES• BODY ARMOR

ORGANIZATION AND RECRUITING

• STREETS

• SCHOOLS

• PRISONS

STATISTICS

• GANGS REPRESENT LESS THAN 1% OF THIS NATION’S POPULATION …

• … HOWEVER THEY ACCOUNT FOR ALMOST 30% OF ALL HOMICIDES

STREET GANG PROFILE

• AVERAGE AGE 12 – 24 YEARS OLD• YOUNG AS 8 - 9

• SEX: MALE & FEMALE• RACE: WHITE, BLACK, HISPANIC,

ASIAN, MEXICAN, ETC.• EDUCATION: 3RD GRADE TO HIGH

SCHOOL• COLLEGE, MILITARY, POLICE

STREET GANG PROFILE

• SOCIAL STATUS: POVERTY TO UPPER CLASS

• CRIMINAL ACTIVITY: LOITERING TO MURDER

• WEAPONS: GUNS, KNIVES, BATS, STICKS

• HIDDEN THREATS

STREET GANG PROFILE

• HANGOUTS: BARS, MALLS, PARKS, SCHOOLS, RECREATION CENTERS

• SIGNS AND SYMBOLS• GRAFFITI AND TATTOOS

• MOST GANGS ARE:• ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT• ANTI-POLICE• ANTI-AUTHORITY

THE STREET NEWSPAPERGRAFFITI

• READ IT – INTELLIGENCE

• PHOTOGRAPH IT – RECORDS

• REMOVE IT

• BROKEN WINDOWS THEORY

GANG RECOGNITION

• COLORS

• CLOTHING

• ACCESSORIES

• GRAFFITI

• TATTOOS

• MARKS

• CODES

• CIPHERS

• HAND SIGNS

• SYMBOLS

• NICKNAMES

• SLANG TERMS

CRITERIA FOR GANG MEMBERSHIP

• SELF-ADMISSION• TATTOOS, CLOTHING, HAND SIGNS,

AND PARAPHERNAILIA ONLY ASSOCIATED WITH SPECIFIC GANGS

• ARRESTED WITH KNOWN GANG MEMBERS

• POLICE RECORDS• RELIABLE INFORMANTS

GANG INITIATION

• JUMPING IN – PHYSICAL FIGHT

• WALKING THE LINE - BRAVERY

• BLENDING IN – FREE PASS

• BLOOD IN – DRAW BLOOD

• BURNED IN – CIGARETTE BURNS

• SEXED IN – GANG BANG / AIDS

• PARTICIPATION IN A CRIMINAL ACT

NEW TRENDS• HIGH TECH COMMUNICATIONS

• STORAGE OF DRUGS / GUNS

• MEETINGS & BEATINGS

• USE OF FEMALES

• MOVING FROM CITY TO CITY

• DRUG CONCEALMENT• PRISON ISSUES

• COURT ROOM ESCAPE PACKS

GATHERING INTELLIGENCE

• GRAFITTI INTELLIGENCE• STREET STOPS

• INTELL CARDS / PHOTOGRAPHS

• VEHICLE STOPS• SCHOOLS• PRISONS• SURVEILLANCE• SEARCH WARRANTS• SWEEPS & STINGS

GETTING RID OF GANGS

• AGGRESSIVE POLICING

• STREET STOPS

• INNOVATIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT

• ZERO TOLERANCE

• INTELLIGENCE DISTRIBUTION

• COMMUNITY POLICING

GETTING RID OF GANGS

• COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• COMMUNITY MEETINGS

• REPORTING SYSTEMS

• GRAFITTI REMOVAL

• CRIME WATCH GROUPS

GETTING RID OF GANGS

• SCHOOL APPROACH

• AWARENESS TRAINING FOR STAFF

• SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS

• MEETING WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL • INTELLIGENCE

• SCHOOL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

… IF YOU CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT

MAKES GANG MEMBERS FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, THEY WILL MOVE TO A MORE COMFORTABLE

ENVIRONMENT …

THANK YOU !

SGT. ED BACHERT

ALLENTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT

425 HAMILTON STREET

ALLENTOWN, PA 18101

610 437-8709