Form, Function, and Management of the Police Gang Unit

Abstract

Specialized units pose special risks for corruption. They have traditionally operated independently from the ordinary chain of command, target offenders who are perceived as “bad or dangerous,” often engage in dangerous operations, and may work together as a cohesive group for many years resulting in the development of strong internal loyalties. Because of these factors, specialized units risk the development of a subculture, with their values separate and apart from those of the department, that will resist oversight and supervision by the department. Further, specialized units pose special risks that are inherent in their missions, including the use of excessive force, other civil rights violations (such as selective enforcement), and corruption (such as theft and bribery). – Erwin Chemerinsky, Report of The Rampart Independent Review Panel-Executive Summary, (unpublished manuscript), 2000b: 17. In this chapter we explore the police response to gangs by examining the organizational structures, operational functions, and management of specialized police gang units. First, we describe how police departments structure or organize their resources to control gangs, focusing on where the gang units were placed within the police departments, administratively and physically. Second, we describe the functions or operational strategies of the gang units. In other words, with a broad stroke, we describe what the gang units were doing, or at least what they were supposed to be doing, according to departmental guidelines and expectations.