This 24-hour course provides law enforcement professionals with a comprehensive foundation in criminal gang investigations strategies. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the legal definition of criminal gangs, gang classifications, and the evolving nature of traditional, non-traditional, hybrid, and transitional gangs operating at the local, state, and national levels.

Emphasis is placed on the critical importance of accurate patrol-level documentation and how field contacts, reports, and narratives contribute to intelligence development, inter-agency collaboration, organized crime investigations, and successful state and federal prosecutions, including RICO cases. You will learn practical methods for identifying gangs, gang members, and gang territories through the recognition of symbols, colors, tattoos, graffiti, hand signs, clothing, and behavioral indicators.

Through real-world case studies involving gangs such as the Crips, Bloods, Folk Nation, People Nation, Latin Kings, and MS-13, this course demonstrates how street-level enforcement actions connect to larger armed and violent criminal enterprises. Classroom instruction is reinforced with discussion-based learning and applied investigative concepts designed to enhance officer safety, proactive enforcement, and community impact.

Topics Include

• Criminal gang definitions and legal considerations
• Traditional, non-traditional, hybrid, and transitional gangs
• Gang identification indicators (symbols, tattoos, colors, graffiti, and attire)
• Major street, prison, and regional gangs
• Gang documentation and intelligence development
• Patrol strategies and investigative impact
• Organized crime connections and enterprise investigations
• State and federal gang laws, including RICO
• Gang-related case studies and enforcement outcomes
• Introduction to negotiation

Audience

Patrol officers, those working in areas with gang activity, looking to move into a gang unit, or are newly assigned to gang investigations; officers who are part of a new gang investigation division, or agencies looking to create a new gang division will also benefit from this training.

This course is restricted to sworn and non-sworn law enforcement personnel.

Course Length

24 hours

Note(s)

This course includes graphic and sensitive real-world case material related to violent crime and gang activity and is intended for sworn or criminal justice professionals only.