Gang Task Force
Synergy
What is a Gang?
Ongoing organization, association, or
group of
five or more persons. The group must have
common interest and/or activity
characterized by
the commission of or involvement in a
pattern of
criminal activity or delinquent conduct.
Gang Task Force
The mission of the Columbia Police Department
Gang Unit is to provide the safest
environment possible for the citizens of
Columbia, by attacking the gang problem on
many different levels. This specialized unit
will strive to achieve its objectives by
identifying gangs, gang members, and their
associates, deterring crimes when possible,
and educating the public. The unit is charged
with investigating gang related crimes,
identifying those responsible, and
aggressively seeking the prosecution of those
individuals.
VGTOF
•Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization File
•Operated by NCIC
•An intelligence, investigative and officer
safety tool that aids law enforcement in
identifying members of violent gangs and
terrorists
VGTOF
VGTOF defines a gang as an ongoing
organization, association or group of three or
more persons who have common interests
and activities characterized by involvement in
a pattern of criminal or delinquent conduct.
SC GangNET
•Ran by SLED
•Database is used to document Criminal
Gang Members.
•Like VGTOF it’s an investigative and
intelligence tool for Law Enforcement officers
in South Carolina
City of Columbia Police Dept.
Gang Intelligence Sheets
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Along with entering documented Gang Members into
SC GangNET and VGTOF the Gang Unit keeps Intel
Sheets internally that all CPD officers can utilize.
These Intel Sheets are created to organize the gang
members and associates that the CPD officers come
into contact with on a daily basis. These Intel Sheets
include information on the subjects to include
pictures of tattoos to assist officers in identifying
these individuals.
Bloods
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The primary colors used by Blood Gang members are Red,
Green and Brown
The Bloods use the letter “B” as an identifier
In graffiti and writings Bloods will normally replace the
letter “s” with a “5” – This stands for the 5 principles that
are followed (Love, Life, Loyalty, Understanding and
Knowledge)
Many of the Bloods around the Columbia area belong to the
United Blood Nation which is an East Coast Blood Gang that
originated in Rikers Island.
A common symbol used by United Blood Nation members
are called “dog paws”
The most prominent United Blood
Nation set in Columbia is
GKB (Gangsta Killa Bloods)
also known as G-Shine
Gangsta Disciples &
Insane Gangsta Disciples
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The primary colors used by GD & IGD Gang members are
Black, Blue and Orange
The Gangsta Disciples were originated in Chicago
In graffiti and writings Folks will normally replace the letter
“b” with a “6” – One reason they do this is because “b” is
used by blood members and the other is for the 6 Principles
they believe in (Love, Life, Loyalty, Understanding,
Knowledge and Wisdom)
Many of the Folk Nation members around the Columbia
area belong to Gangsta Disciples and Insane Gangsta
Disciples
A common symbol used by Folk Nation Gang members are
the Six Point Star and an upright Pitch Fork
Folk Nation members will also use a three point crown
which will signify the three kings (Larry Hoover, David
Barksdale and Jerome Freeman)
Folk Nation members use the Six Point star (Star of David)
to honor David Barksdale
Crips
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The primary color used by Crip Gang members is
Blue.
Crip Gang Members use the letter “C” as an
identifier
Crip Members will also write “cc” instead of “ck”
in words because “ck” is used by Blood members
to show disrespect to Crips (Crip Killer)
Crip members adopt some of Folk Nation’s
symbols
The Crip gang originated in Los Angeles, Ca and
was started by Raymond Williams and Stanley
Washington
The most prominent Crip set in the Columbia
Area are Rollin’ 90s Crips
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18
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Street Gang
The Gang uses “18” as an identifier
They use the symbols XV3, XVIII, 666, (9+9=18) and
the 3-dots in their graffiti and tattoos
The 3-dots used in this gangs graffiti and tattoos
stands for “Mi Vida Loca” (My Crazy Life)
This gang uses the colors black and blue
This gang uses the color blue to show respect to the
Sureños. (Oldest group of Mexican American street
gangs that operate in southern California)
This gang originated in
Los Angeles, CA
A 18th Street set which we have
seen graffiti in the Columbia area
for are the West Side Locos
MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha)
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This gang originated in Los Angeles, CA
They also use the abbreviations of Mara and MS
to identify themselves
Common marking and tattoos for this gang
include “MS”, “Salvatrucha” and the “Devil Horns”
One of the gangs most common hand
signs is the “Devils Head” which forms
a “M” when displayed upside down
Hells Angels
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A world wide outlaw motorcycle gang that operates as a
major organized crime syndicate
Ralph “Sonny” Barger was the founder of the Oakland, CA
Chapter and became the President of the Hells Angels. He is
now retired however all decisions are still ran through him.
The insignia for the Hells Angels is the “Death’s Head”
The “1%” diamond shaped patch is the
patch used to show they are an outlaw motorcycle
gang. This patch is used by all outlaw motorcycle
gangs
The Hells Angels currently have running
Chapters in Greenville, Charleston and Myrtle Beach
Warlocks
A 1% Motorcycle Club that was
formed in Darby, PA in 1967
They currently have 6 active chapters
in SC (Columbia, Florence, Cherokee
Co, Lee Co, Foothills and Lakewinds)
• The club's insignia is a Harpy, a
legendary winged creature in
Greek mythology, and their colors
are red and white.
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Graffiti
Documentation of Graffiti is an
essential part of what the Gang Unit
does. Graffiti shows what gangs are
active in neighborhoods around the
city. Gangs also mark over each
others graffiti to claim communities
as well as to disrespect rival gangs.
Tattoos
The documentation of tattoos on individuals is
another important tool when dealing with
gangs and identifying members of criminal
gangs.
In most cases when an individual decides to
become involved in a gang it consumes their
entire life and they proudly tattoo their body
with gang related symbols and words to
show membership.
Community Events
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The Gang Unit is available to attend
community meetings and events to teach
communities Gang Awareness.
Teaching Gang Awareness to community
members assists the Gang Unit in combating
gang problems in communities by making
citizens aware of what to look for to help
spot a gang problem if it arises in a
neighborhood.
Attending meetings and events also helps
the Gang Unit make community contacts
which is vital in helping combat the Gang
issues in the City of Columbia
Without the communities help addressing
Gang problems becomes extremely difficult
Schools
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The Gang Unit is available to assist School
Resource Officers when issues with Gangs
arise inside of schools.
The Gang Unit also speaks with students
about Gang Awareness in an attempt to
keep as many children away from gangs
as possible
The Gang Unit is also available
to speak with and assist students
who are in a gang and are
attempting to get out.
S.C. Gang Legislation
•S.C. Gang Prevention Act became effect on July 1, 2007
•The Gang Prevention Act provided Law Enforcement with statutes that defined a
criminal gang, a criminal gang member, the pattern of criminal gang activity,
which offenses could be used in gang prosecution and what a gang related
incident is.
•The legislation also listed chargeable offenses in relation to gang activity.
• The Chargeable offenses made it unlawful to use or threaten to use physical
violence against another person with the intent to make them participate in
criminal gang activity or to prevent a person from withdrawing from a criminal
gang.
•It also made it unlawful to use a firearm or other deadly weapon or physical
violence while recruiting or to prevent a person from withdrawing from a gang.
•It also added three years to the recruiting punishment if the person being
recruited is under the age of 18
•The last chargeable statute in the Gang Legislation made in unlawful to prevent
or attempt to prevent a witness from giving testimony.
Questions?