Blackjacks gang is motorcycle criminal gang with operations in Arizona and other states in the past five years. In addition to a growing membership that has doubled in the past two years, the gang operates specifically in Phoenix metro area and the southern part of Tucson. The blackjacks not only control adult entertainment venues in Arizona but are also involved in prostitution, extortion, and drug trafficking. In their drug trafficking operations, the criminal gang's drug of choice is Methamphetamine, which is traded in various townships and establishments. Being a diverse and well-established criminal gang with undercover operations, increasing membership, and parental concerns over children's access, obtaining information regarding their activities is critical to countering its threat.
Obtaining Information on the Blackjacks:
As part of the initiative to gather information on the blackjacks, their enterprise, and criminal activities, the plan should include
Using Individual Officers:
To effectively obtain information on the gang, using individual law enforcement officers should be at the center of all operations. Individual officers are critical to the process because they serve as the first link between criminals and the criminal justice system. The officers' input acts as the fuel that drives the entire process since they provide necessary information for intelligence operations ("Criminal Intelligence," 2003). Additionally, involving and using individual officers in the process is important because the intelligence will be used by these officers for strategic and tactical reasons.
Through the use of individual officers, information about the gang's recruitment strategies, targets, and undercover operations can be obtained. The individual officers will also work with the communities to identify the bars, movie theaters, and restaurants where the group members operate. Individual officers can obtain information regarding the group by conducting field interviews of community members where the gang has its main establishments. Actually, information about gangs, their members, and operations are usually generated by the contacts made by patrol and uniformed officers. During field interviews that are normally conducted in open public areas, the officers are able to identify a potential informant or cooperator. After identifying this informant or cooperator, the officers will arrange for a follow-up interview in a private and more secure venue. The collected information from field interviews is then documented properly accompanied with photographs and additional evidence.
Conducting Custodial Interviews:
Information on the criminal gang can also be obtained by conducting custodial interviews following the arrests of gang members. This strategy will provide more information about the gang, its members, and activities since the arrested gang members will be cooperative in the hope of lesser prosecution. As soon as gang members are identified and arrested by the police, the agency should make arrangements on conducting custodial interviews in a secure and controlled location.
Formation of Investigative Partnerships:
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