Specialized Gang Units: Form and Function in Community PolicingThis is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. Between 1980 and the mid-1990s, the number of specialized gang units (SGU) in law enforcement agencies increased substantially. The rise in SGU coincided with the widespread adoption of community policing (CP). This report examined whether CP and SGU are complementary or conflicting approaches. The research approach consisted of field observation of gang personnel in two CP agencies with SGU: Indianapolis, IN, and San Diego, CA. This report describes the specific types of activities engaged in by SGU -- documenting the time expended by SGU personnel on each. The results suggest that SGU can have an important role in modern policing. There is little evidence that SGU conflict with CU in principle or practice. |
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activities administration agencies appeared approaches areas arrests assigned assist associated author(s calls changes citizens classified collected community policing concerns conducted consistent crime criminal database Department of Justice department’s described detectives developed divisions document drug effective efforts employed engage evaluations examination field focus focused functions gang members gang problems gang unit gang-related goals groups homicides identify increased Indianapolis individuals initiative intelligence information interviews investigations involved jurisdictions locations major monitoring necessarily reflect observation occurred offenders officers official position operations Opinions or points organizational organizations patrol percent personnel points of view police agencies Police Department political position or policies practices prevention proactive published recorded reduce reflect the official research report submitted responses result San Diego specialized gang units specific strategies street suggest suppression survey suspects Table tactics task force U.S. Department uniformed view expressed violent Youth