Gangs Military Weapons Tactics Unclassified//For

Gangs Military Weapons Tactics

UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY/LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE

Gangs Deploying Military Hardware, Tactics

Street gangs are increasingly obtaining and deploying military-grade equipment and tactics. Be prepared for increasing levels of force and resistance. Pick your battles: Stay alert to stay alive!

National Gang Intervention Center 2007

National Gang Intervention Center 2007

Street gangs have been acquiring military-grade hardware, as indicated by:

Increasing civilian arrests for illegal purchase/posession of weaponry from private-sector Department of Defense contractors (1)

Congressional testimony and increasing nationwide arrests for stolen military offensive and defensive hardware sold at gun shows and by private individuals going back nearly two decades (2)

LAPD San Bernaardino arrested a parolee in 2006 in posession of a military rocket launcher (3)

Recent and increasing arrests of ex-military for selling assault weapons to gang members (4)

2. Street gangs have increasing access to military combat tactics and training:

Gang affiliation by active personnel "is pervasive throughout" every branch of the U.S. military (5)

Gang deployment of military training against police is increasing (6)

Convictions of active-duty military personnel for gang-attributed crimes including homicide, armed robbery and narcotics posession / sale have increased (7)

Tactics and equipment can be deployed for assault, defense or support (first aid; escape, etc.) (8)

3. How can I predict if gang members will deploy combat tactics or equipment?

YOU CAN'T

4. How should I respond to increasing possibility of military-level combat with gangs on the streets?

Stay alert, stay alive: PREVENT and AVOID engaging superior hostile force by gang members

Assume all situations carry the potential to deteriorate into combat-level hostilities

Predict potential assault, defense and escape opportunities AT ALL TIMES in the field, especially in areas where gang activity is intense or very intense

PREVENT military-level conflict with superior force and tactics: recognize and AVOID situations as if military assault and defense by gang members is always possible and likely

Document all gang-related evidence wherever possible, to increase prosecutors' ability to reduce crime before gangs take the opportunity to deploy combat tactics and illegal hardware. File appropriate STEP Act reports outlined in Manual of Policy and Procedures to alert CLEAR/HEAT/SAGE teams (9)

It is our duty to take illegal military hardware off the streets but we can only do that by staying ALIVE, staying ALERT and learning to AVOID giving gangs the opportunity to take down another LEO.

Call for backup before attempting pursuit into unsecured potential gang situations

5.. Examples of gangs deploying military weapons and tactics against law enforcement:

2005: Contract assassination attempt against corrections officer in Lakewood, Wash. By United Blood Nation gang member in active service from Bremerton Navy Station (10)

2005: Ceres, California: Active-duty, U.S. Marine Iraq combat veteran gang member shoots two police, killing one, using military tactics (11)

2006: Verbal testimony by several gang members suggests veterans training gangs for combat (12)

2010: U.S.Marine Corps veterans charged with selling assault weapons to gangs (13)

2011: Twenty-seven AK-47s stolen from California's Fort Irwin Army base (14)

2011: National Gang Threat Assessment report: "Gang members are acquiring high-powered, military-style weapons and equipment, which poses a significant threat because of the potential to engage in lethal encounters with law enforcement and citizens alike" (15)

6. ACTION: If you believe you may encounter military-level threat of force from gang members, secure the scene and alert Gang Violence Task Force [____]

IF YOU ENCOUNTER OR APPREHEND combat equipment or tactics in gang-related contact, notify CLEAR / HEAT / SAGE officers IMMEDIATELY [____] (16)