Training for police is critical in responding to street gangs, and it must be increased. Gang-specific training at police academies must be developed and implemented, and in-service training broadened. (Gang Crime Prevention Center, 1999, removed from the Internet as of January, 2005))

I was not allowed to attend information-sensitive police training courses on gangs because I am not a sworn officer. Although this was an unfortunate turn of events as concerns my research, I understand why I was denied access to the training.

As a result of hundreds of hours of observing police gang unit members as they worked, however, what I did develop was a sense of the kind of training they and non-gang unit officers should have relative to the gang situation in their community. The questions which serve as subtitles below became important to me as a way of determining how prepared police were to deal with the gang situation.

Click on the topics below or  continue reading down the page ... Does police academy training include content on street gangs? Police Academy Course Topics and Tests Are newly assigned gang unit officers provided training? A Curriculum for Training Police Gang Unit Officers Gang Training Officers (GTOs) Are existing gang unit officers offered on-going training? Are police personnel outside the gang unit provided training on gangs? If training is offered, who provides it?

Does police academy training include 
content on street gangs?

When police are first hired, most are required to attend an academy to learn about the job of police officer. While some departments - particularly those in chronic gang communities - have substantial training on this subject, my experience suggests this is not the norm. 

The following is an outline of topics covered in the Springfield (MO) Police Department's Police Academy. It takes more than 1,300 hours to teach this curriculum, one of the longest and most thorough police training programs in the United States. Not all police academies have the same content. I've highlighted and italicized the word "Gangs" where it appears in the curriculum.

Police Academy Course Topics and Tests
I have taken the liberty of categorizing the academy content.  
Although the topics are correct, their order of presentation
has been altered from the original document.

Department Orientation
	Department History Department Organization and Administration: Rules and Regulations Tour of the Department Tour of the Jail / Calaboose Insurance Issues Credit Union Retirement Springfield Police Officers' Association City Government Human Resources Internal Affairs Department Forms Memorandum
Testing
	English Composition Test Spelling Test Physical Fitness Assessment
Personal Development
	Basic Study Skills and Note Taking Health, Fitness and Nutrition Physical Training Stress Management Personal and Family Safety
Substantive Topics
	Administrative Issues Appearance and Care of Uniform English Street Spanish Ethics and Professionalism Cultural Diversity Drug Awareness and Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Traffic and Vehicle Equipment Regulations Registration and Licensing Traffic Accident and Diagramming Accident Investigation Traffic Direction and Control Crisis Intervention Psychology of Mentals First Responder  (AIDS, Blood borne Pathogens, Weapons of Mass Destruction) Critical Incident Trauma and Stress  Domestic Violence Civil Disturbance Emergency Response Survival Mentality Dealing with Death Hostage Negotiation Vehicle Stops Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Severe Weather Juvenile  (Introduction, Judicial Custody, Fingerprint and Lineup, Interview and Interrogation, Related Statutes) Municipal Codes Municipal Ordinances Municipal Court Procedure and Tour Civil Process Complaints and Summons Introduction to Law Criminal Code Overview Criminal Process Case Trial Preparation Rules of Evidence Fingerprint Evidence Use of Informants Criminal Statutes  (Homicide, Assault, Weapons, Robbery, Stealing,  Attempt and Conspiracy, Kidnapping, Sex Offenses, Burglary, Trespass, Property Destruction, Gangs, Prostitution, Gambling, Liquor/DWI, Tampering, Bad Check, Drugs, Public Order, Administration of Justice, Bus Terminal, Arson) Preparation for Duty Service Duties of the Peace Officer Peace Officer Liability Community Oriented Policing Community Problem Solving Driving Local Geography Patrol Operations Preventive Patrol Day vs. Night Patrol Mobile Computer Terminals Computer Operations Verbal Judo Conflict Resolution Situational Scenario Concepts of Defensive Tactics (includes falling, boxing, Arm Management, Lateral Vascular Neck Restraint, Ground Reaction Self Protection,  Handcuffing, Control Techniques, Active Defensive Measures, Baton, Weapon Retention, Knife Defense, Spray, Radar Stop and Frisk Search Incident to Arrest Search, Seizure, and Warrant Search of Persons and Vehicles Building Search Non-Fourth Amendment Seizures Justification - Use of Force Contact, Detention, Arrest Mechanics of Arrest and Control Property Procedures Jail Processing and Documentation Jail - Basic Security Principles Major Crime Response Drug Interdiction Gangs, Transients, and Organized Crime Domestic Terrorism Introduction to Cults Child Abuse, Neglect Disturbance Calls Prowler Calls Rapid Deployment Firing Range, Qualification Introduction to Investigations Criminal Intelligence Crime Scene Processing and Investigation Investigations (Death, Suicide, Assault, Robbery, Theft and Property, Sex Crimes, Burglary, Bad Checks, Arson and Bomb, Auto Theft, Narcotics) Admissions, Confessions, Miranda Prisoner Rights and Privileges Interrogation Process Interviewing Skills Field Interviews Criminal History Reporting / Records Introduction to Report Writing Communication Obstacles Radio Communications Procedure Accreditation Victim Sensitivity Crime Prevention Media Relations Dealing with Outside Agencies (Federal, State) Private Security Agencies Crime Stoppers
Field Training
	Several weeks are spent on patrol with senior officers called Field Training Officers (FTOs). This is done in order to observe how seasoned officers handle different situations and to develop one's own style of policing.

While the training curriculum above is extensive, the gang situation is paid little attention. The most significant argument for better academy training on gangs concerns patrol officers. Patrol officers are the front line of local law enforcement. They are the first responders and, as such, know a great deal about what's happening in neighborhoods throughout the community at any given time.

Regardless of training, officers assigned to gang units were automatically labeled as experts on gangs and gang issues. Although we did not set out specifically to evaluate the quality of the training received or delivered by gang unit officers, or their knowledge about gangs, we were nonetheless struck by the lack of depth in their education and training in this area. (Katz and Webb, 2004, p.  255)

Because of their exposure to the day-to-day activity of suspected and alleged offenders, patrol officers possess valuable gang-related intelligence - although they may not be as aware of that as they would be if their academy training on gangs had been more extensive. In addition, good academy training on gangs also informs patrol officers on how to manage the intelligence they gather - what should be communicated and how to communicate it to the other units in the department.

Police academies are tuned to the realities of delinquency and crime in the communities they serve. Police departments with more in-depth training on street gangs include the following information in their academy:

and how to identify a gang member (i.e., by their clothing, demeanor, associates, tattoos), department policy and procedures (i.e., how to approach gang members, documentation procedures, how to patrol in gang neighborhoods),  applicable laws (i.e., the definition of a gang and gang member, information on gang-related state laws and municipal ordinances, and enhanced legislation, if any), cautionary notes (i.e., to reduce the likelihood of violence, officer self-protection and protection of innocent bystanders, indicators of gang rivalry/conflicts), and organizational matters (i.e., how the anti-gang efforts of the department fit within the entire structure of the department, how intelligence is to flow through the department, the relationship of the unit/department to other law enforcement agencies and the community).

Are newly assigned gang unit officers provided training?

The way in which newly assigned gang unit officers are trained varies across the country almost as widely as do police departments themselves. What I learned is that, beyond academy training, some departments require on-going training while others have little more than simple on-the-job training (basically learning by trial and error). 

On-going training refers, in most instances, to annual training so officers are kept abreast of changes in the law, new technologies in their field, and new departmental policies and procedures. Given the ever-changing nature of gangs and the neighborhoods in which they are found, on-going training makes sense. The following is an example of a training curriculum for gang unit officers.

A Curriculum for Training Police Gang Unit Officers
Gang Member Identification Surveillance Tattoos Establishing Membership Suppression Methods Gang Investigations Trafficking Testimony Personal Safety	Threat Assessment Officer Safety Developing Informants  Developing Expertise Interview Techniques School Safety Graffiti Tactics Intelligence Gathering Gang Culture and Lifestyle
(Moreno, no date, page )

Gang unit training can take a substantial amount of time. Some of the subjects (i.e., surveillance, testimony) may have their foundation in patrol practices, but most require additional training, establishing new contacts in the community, and working with a variety of other police departments in a task force configuration.

Task forces combining the resources and talents of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have proven very effective in fighting gangs and drugs. These collaborative efforts result in more comprehensive, better coordinated approaches to getting violent gang members off the streets.  They also facilitate the investigation of crimes that transcend jurisdictional borders and allow smaller jurisdictions to avail themselves of a wider range of resources. Multi-jurisdictional task forces should place special emphasis on targeting gang leaders, members who commit violent crimes and those who direct drug-selling operations. (Gang Crime Prevention Center, 1999)

Of the four department's gang units they studied, Katz and Webb describe the training of Inglewood (CA) police gang unit officers as being the best. They describe the Inglewood Police Department's training as follows.

They were exposed to gang trends and taught how to identify gang members and submit gang intelligence. Next, all officers appointed to the gang unit were required to attend a 4-hour training session conducted by the California Gang Investigators Association. This training formally educated officers about profiling gang members, filing considerations, writing reports, and preparing for court and case presentation. It focused on issues related to gang organization, recognizing gang acitivty, investigating gang activity, and procedures for documenting gang members.

Once  assigned to the gang unit, new officers were paired with the most senior officers in the unit for on-the-job training. During this period, the senior officer would explain the role of the unit, the technical aspects of collecting, processing, and disseminating gang intelligence, and other issues pertaining to gangs and the gang unit. Inglewood officers continued to receive formal training as long as they were with the unit. (Katz and Webb, 2004, p.  236-237)

In Las Vegas (NV), Katz and Webb found that all the police (regardless of their unit assignment) were required to receive annual training. Gang unit personnel were also required to receive training on cultural awareness, crime scene preservation and investigation, informant management, interview and interrogation techniques, search and seizure forfeitures, search warrant preparation and execution, investigator development, and computer skills. (Katz and Webb, 2004, p.  240)

On the other hand, Katz and Webb report that "In Albuquerque (NM), few gang unit officers had had any gang-related training before being appointed to the gang unit. In addition, no courses or methods had been established for training officers once they were assigned to the unit. When we asked about the training that officers had received after coming into the unit, none reported having received any department-sponsored training, formal or otherwise." (Katz and Webb, 2004, p. 237) This is, of course, an unacceptable situation.

We found that the measures that gang unit managers used to evaluate their officers were not necessarily directly related to the officers' responsibilities, and that many core responsibilities assigned to gang unit officers were not evaluated. (Katz and Webb, 2004, p. 256)

As of this writing, American police departments are in difficult financial straits. Training costs a great deal and since most officers will be on patrol, specialized training on gangs may be impractical. But gang unit officers need the specialized training and it should be on-going.

Gang Training Officers (GTOs)

As you may know, when officers in a given unit are promoted to the next rank, it is common practice to remove them from the unit in which they were serving and put them in a different unit. My concern is that a gang unit officers with years of intelligence gathering experience may be promoted and removed from the gang unit without being able to systematically share what they know with the officers replacing them. I would suggest that, much like using Field Training Officers (where rookie officers are partnered with experienced officers and observe/ride with the experienced officers for one or several months before going out on their own), police department should consider creating the position of "Gang Training Officer" (GTO).

The GTO is the experienced gang unit officer who is being promoted. He or she would spend the last month or two of their time in the gang unit with the new gang unit member replacing them (if that's what's happening). The sharing of intelligence in this manner is both systematic and should be beneficial.

Are existing gang unit officers offered on-going training?

While some departments offer all of their officers on-going training - regardless of their special assignments within the department - I observed only a few that offered on-going and job-specific training for gang unit officers. Those that did only sent a representative of the gang unit rather than the entire unit. Departments depended upon the representatives to share what they learned at the training session with the other gang unit officers with whom they worked.

Gang conferences and training seminars are held throughout the country every year to which law enforcement personnel are invited. As concerned the research cities, few gang unit command personnel attended these meetings. This may be a function of the fact that, when promoted, heads of gang units are typically moved to other units making advanced, gang-specific training for them a potential waste of resources.

Gang unit officers serving the unit's head are also limited in their exposure to the conferences and seminars. While some attend state or regional meetings of their regional Gang Investigators Association, it behooves communities to find a way to get them more training. Teleconferencing, once made secure and readily available, holds some promise in this regard by bringing law enforcement gang experts together from all around the country in an affordable format. Perhaps there are other ways to expand training opportunities for gang unit officers.

Are police personnel outside the gang unit 
provided training on gangs?

My experience, and a substantial amount of law enforcement literature, supports the contention that a police department with a shared perception of their community's gang situation and how the department is to respond to it is vital in any effort to reduce gang activity.

Towards this end, command personnel outside the gang unit should be familiar with the gang unit's goals, practices, and needs. Most other units or divisions in a police department encounter gang members in their daily activity (i.e., narcotics officers are arresting them - unless there is prior agreement that the gang unit wants to make those arrests, patrol officers are arresting them or dealing with them as victims and/or witnesses). Therefore non-gang-unit commanders should be able to provide a link between their units and the gang unit.

The work of a police gang unit is enhanced by a good working relationship with patrol officers (who are more likely to encounter gang members and gang activity than are most police units). Both patrol- and gang unit officers benefit by sharing information/intelligence. Patrol officers benefit by being sensitized to the gang situation (i.e., which gang members to be cautious of, who's angry at who, which gang has a grudge against which other gang, who's new in town, descriptions of cars which are involved). Gang unit officers benefit because information from patrol officers enhances their intelligence about the gang situation.

If training is offered, who provides it?

Is training on gangs provided only by police personnel or are non-law-enforcement professionals included in the training process? Probation/parole officers, juvenile officers, school personnel, family- and community-case workers, counselors, and other people in similarly situated positions have a great deal to offer gang unit officers. The nature of their work provides them with additional intelligence on gangs and gang members and gives the police a variety of perspectives from which they may view the gang situation. 

Having non-law-enforcement professionals involved in training creates a two-way street. The police learn from the other professionals and visa versa. Police possess information which can often increase the productiveness of the other community professionals. For example, probation and parole officers need the input of police to learn what their clients are doing on the street. Teachers and truant officers need additional information about students who are their responsibility and who are known to the police.

In Closing

I marvel, at times, watching gang unit officers go about their work. It's dangerous, challenging, and very important work. For the neighborhoods in which gangs dominate, it is critical. That most of the gang unit officers I observed learned their craft through trial and error seems a shame. There's so much more that could be done if communities were willing to provide the resources necessary - particularly for advanced and on-going training. 

Our next topic focuses on tactics police gang units use in their dealings with gang members. I was surprised to find there were a wide variety of tactics in use.