1. City of Columbia Police Department
Gang Unit

2. Gang Task Force
Synergy

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization File
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

6. 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.

7. Database is used to document Criminal Gang Members.
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

8. City of Columbia Police Dept. Gang Intelligence Sheets
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.

9. Bloods
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

11. Gangsta Disciples & Insane Gangsta Disciples
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

13. Crips 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

15. 18th 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

16. MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha)
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

17. Hells Angels
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

18. 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.

19. 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.

23. 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.

26. Community Events
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

27. Schools
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.

28. S.C. Gang Prevention Act became effect on July 1, 2007
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.

29. Questions?