Identifying & Documenting Gang Members

Identifying & Documenting Gang Members
Help your officers get it right
Matthew O’Deane, PhD
Law Officer Volume 5 Issue 7
2009 Jul 1

"Your uniformed patrol or gang unit officers are constantly challenged with the identification and determination of an individual’s potential gang affiliation. These officers, in particular, are an essential source of gang information and usually make up the frontline defense against gangs."

How do your officers stay on top of current gang indentification and trends?
How does your department share such information with neighboring departments?
Has technology assisted or hindered in compiling and sharing this information?

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Permalink Reply by Johnny Russell on July 23, 2009 at 3:54pm: Excellent article by Mr. O’Deane

Some years ago while I was still a rookie I remember something that former San Diego Police Chief William Kolender once told me. He later recently as San Diego County Sheriff; he said to never come to him with a problem if I could not present to him a solution. I used that advice and as a result after thirty years as San Diego Police officer I’d like to offer a suggestion. I’ve spent 15 years as an F.T.O. teaching my trainees, and educating parents, (usually a single mother or grandmother) of these street hoods and the wannabees.

We know that gangs exist, after they’ve committed a crime we’ve learned how to identify, document, use the proper safety procedures, interview them and write complete accurate reports for prosecution. The only question is how do we fight the problem? It’s been my experience that gang violence involves problem solving. In law enforcement the S.A.R.A. (Scan, Analyze, Respond, and Assess) model of problem solving has been used in fighting crime with great success and tenacity by police departments nationwide.
How we make use of its application with S.A.R.A.

SCANNING
1. Does the manner of my child’s dress look like clothing of a gang member?
2. Does my child’s friends belong to a gang?
3. Is there graffiti written on my child’s books, walls, clothes?

ANALYZE
1. Does a no spanking policy have merit?
2. What role does a positive role model play in my child’s upbringing?
3. Does family enrichment type activities help to preserve the family unit?

RESPOND
1. Does setting goals for my child to achieve have relevance?
2. When should I be hard on my child?
3. Is it important to show authority as a parent/capable guardian?

ASSESS
Armed with the awareness of our oversights we assess the information received from our own personal S.A.R.A. results, using it to gain a better enriching life for our children.; ▶ Reply to This