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Click media Play Button to hear the Ice-T song "Colors" "Gang activity and gang violence is no longer strictly an urban phenomenon. It is spreading its tentacles into the suburbs. Gang activity is a form of organized crime and must be pursued as would other organized crime police stings." "If a kid is interested in gangs; that's an interest in drugs; that's an interest in violence and that's an interest in victimizing the weak. If that interest is there, that's a problem. It's just a matter of how long it takes for interest to turn to action."
You can contact the Longmont Police Department Gang Unit Sergeant at 303-651-8555
The
department recognizes that the predisposed nature of gangs is toward violence
and the commission of criminal acts. Gangs are often involved
in vandalism and
tagging, auto theft, dealing illegal drugs, prostitution, selling stolen goods, trading
illegal
The gang problem surfaced in Longmont in 1990 and steadily grew from 1991 through
1996. By
1993 the predominantly Hispanic-American gang, “ESL” (formerly the Purple Posse) had established a foothold in east Longmont and
had become the largest gang in our city. This gang had developed a
clear organizational structure. ESL members were involved in acts of
violence, drug sales, and other criminal activity. The identified
leadership of this gang were mostly adults. Many of whom had extensive criminal
histories. ESL often targeted Mexican Nationals for violent acts.
Many residents of the Stonehedge Apartment complex and other
A “Zero Tolerance” approach was adopted for dealing with known members of these gangs. Operations began focusing specifically on Longmont's gangs. Intelligence was gathered and coordinated within the Gang Unit and amongst other patrol officers and detectives. Special operations specifically targeting identified leaders were employed. The City experienced gang-related violent fights and occasional drive-by shootings.
During the summer of 1995
members of ESL openly
On Christmas Eve 1995, 26 warrants were obtained for leaders and various members of “ESL”. That evening and Christmas Day a special operation was conducted across the City. Those warrants were executed and all subjects of the warrants were rounded up . Timing could not have been better. It was our Xmas present to the gangsters of Longmont. This action ripped the heart out of "ESL" and decimated its organizational structure. Throughout 1996 and 1997 ongoing suppression tactics and operations were used against "ESL" rendering it to only a mere image of its former self. In addition over the next few years Sureño drug dealers were targeted and several were eventually sent to prison.
In the last five
years gang activity in Longmont has resurfaced and grown at a steady pace.
Membership in both Sureño Trece and Norteño gangs grew rapidly between 2002 and
2006, and along with that so did gang violence. ESL has also seen a
resurgence in membership and is growing. In April and May of 2006 gang The core unit was supplemented with several other officers devoting all their time to suppression, intervention, gathering intelligence, criminal investigations and prosecutions of gang related criminal activity. This effort resulted in numerous arrests and gang activity has dropped for the time being. The gang unit will continue to operate full-time for the remainder of 2006 focusing on suppression, intervention, intelligence gathering and criminal investigation. The department's 2007 budget creates a full time Gang & Crime Suppression Unit consisting of six officers and a sergeant. This unit will expand to major crime suppression with a focus on gangs.
The Gang Unit gathers intelligence and monitors activities of all
known gangs and gang members in Longmont. Members of the Gang During the last 10 months, the gang unit has had over 205 arrests and almost as many summonses written. The unit has recovered stolen property, several stolen vehicles, and seized various amounts of narcotics. A local gang car theft ring with operations outside of Longmont has been broken. The unit's intelligence base has grown and that is producing results. A network with other area agencies gang and street crime units are producing results as gangsters no longer can move from one jurisdiction and hide in another and not be monitored. Various strategies are being developed by the unit and employed to continue suppressing gang related crimes.
The gang unit
investigates all gang related criminal acts. The Gang Unit monitors gang activity in order to
Gangs continue to be a reality and as the population of Longmont grows so does the problem. In recent years gangs have gained a significant foothold in Longmont. Self-admitted gang members have been contacted who have recently moved here from Greeley, Lafayette, Loveland, Denver and from as far away as Texas and California. Gangs aren't confined to jurisdictional boundaries. Longmont gang members have affiliations and associates up and down the front range and vice-versa. It is not uncommon to have Sureños or Norteños gang members from other towns in Longmont to visit, party or commit criminal acts. When the heat is on in their town you will see gang members hide out in other jurisdictions until things "cool down" at home.
Sureño
Trece and its sub-sects has grown to be the largest gang in the city. Some
Norteños and ESL The majority of Longmont's gang members are juveniles and young adults. However, there are older gang members, OG's (Original Gangsters), within a well concealed leadership structure that profit from the gang's criminal activities. "ESL", "Sureños Trece", and "Norteños" are the most active and visible. Sureño sub-sects such as Only Mexican Clicka (OMC), Sureño Trece Pewees (STP), and Big Time Sureños (BTS) are smaller but add to the problem. It is the goal of the Gang Unit to keep gang activities to a minimum, target their leadership and work pro-actively toward reducing their numbers. Unfortunately gangs and gang violence will always be part of most communities. Longmont is no exception. As the city grows so will the problem. That is inevitable. But it can be controlled and minimized. Longmont's Gang Unit members are all experienced police officers with extensive knowledge in this area. Four of the unit's full time and advisory members have been with the team since its inception in 1993. Each officer currently working this assignment is totally dedicated to combating this problem within our city and making Longmont a city of choice for people moving to the front-range of Colorado.
East Side Latinos or East Side Longmont (ESL)
East Side Certified Gangstas (ESCG)
Norteños (Northerner) Norte (North)
Sureño (Southerner) SUR (South)
Sureño Trece Pewees (STP)
Only Mexican Clicka (OMC)
Big Time Surenos (BTS)
Pretty Boy Gangstas (PBG)
Westside Gangstas
Puro Vato Locos (PVL)
Asian Gangs
What Gangs Do Many gang
activities are frequently shared by a large portion of society, except for one
important difference: gang members seek confrontations with rivals. When gang
members attend school, a family picnic, neighborhood gathering or party, the
potential for violence and
Why people join Gangs Children or
teenagers join gangs for a variety of reasons: the excitement of gang activity,
peer pressure, physical protection, attention, financial Gang Names Gangs generally identify themselves by a name derived from a street, neighborhood, or housing project where they are based, or from a rock band they like, or a cult they follow. Street Gangs Gangs are predominately territorial. Each gang has its own turf and graffiti marks its boundaries. Anyone not belonging in the area and who resembles any rival gang members may become the subject of attack. In recent years there has been a change with respect to territorial dominance. We have seen in many places members of rival gangs living in the same apartment complex or neighborhoods. This is a growing phenomena that is explained by a shifting and transient lower income population, and a more mobile and diversified society. Dress Most gang members
dress in the same manner. The uniform of some local gangs is easy to recognize.
It
Gang graffiti, symbols, messages or gang names can be written or embroidered on jackets, pants and ball caps. Other identifying items include belt buckles with the gang's initials, key chains, or professional team jackets. Some gangs have changed their clothing style and no longer wear their colors in order to deceive law enforcement. Identifying Gang Members Most gang members
are proud of their gang and freely admit their membership. Many have tattoos and
dress in a style identifying their particular
Monikers Individual gang members usually have a nickname or moniker that fits the individual's physical, personal or psychological traits. A gang member called Shorty, for example, could get his Moniker based on his height. Graffiti...The Danger of Writing A problem which affects our neighborhoods in a variety of
ways is GRAFFITI. Without a doubt, this type of vandalism decreases property
value in residential neighborhoods and creates a sense of concern about
community safety. Of greater concern than the property damage is the random
violence associated with gang graffiti. Gang members use graffiti to mark their
"turf" or territory, declare their own allegiance to the gang,
When a neighborhood is marked with graffiti indicating territorial dominance, the entire area and its inhabitants become targets for violence. A rival gang identifies everyone in the neighborhood as a potential threat. Anyone on the street or in their home is a target for drive-by attacks by rival gang members. Unfortunately, innocent people are often subjected to gang violence by the mere presence of graffiti in their neighborhood. Victims of white supremacist or hate graffiti often suffer from fear and intimidation when they are singled out by the skinhead or other white-supremacist gangs. What Can I Do To Help? You and your neighbors can work with the police to help get gangs and drugs out of our community. Here are some suggestions on how to get involved.
Prevention...What You Can Do
Names/Alliances of U.S. Mexican gangs |
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La Gran-Raza
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La Gran Familia (LGF)
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Unknown or no affiliation
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Resources for Gang Units Links
Los Angeles' Gang Land Gang Info Links
CA Mexican
Mafia Headlines Prevention & Intervention Links
Denver DA's Gang Unit
Put aside your notions of the freedom of the road, the wind whipping through your hair, leather chaps and jacket flapping. Motorcycle gangs are big business now and the old-style outsiders who shun society have been replaced by formal institutions that are just as much organized crime as the Mafia. There are chapters of outlaw motorcycle gangs in Colorado. Several prominent gang members, notably of the Banditos and Sons' of Silence, Live in the immediate Longmont area. As a result it is not unusual to see members of various outlaw motorcycle gangs ride through Longmont. They also attend certain motorcycle rallies at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. When in town they are monitored by the police department. History American outlaw motorcycle
gangs grew out of the restlessness experienced by a
small number of soldiers — mostly airmen — who returned from
The first incident of violence directly linked to motorcycle gangs was the Hollister, California incident on July 4, 1946 when the American Motorcycle Association sponsored its annual Dirt Hill Climb Races. Hollister, with its police force of seven men was ill-equipped for the number of bikers who came from all over to participate. The “Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington” and the “Market Street Commandos” were two of the larger gangs in attendance and street racing and fights were common. When a member of the POBOB was jailed for disturbing the peace, a large group of bikers tore the town apart trying to free the man. The myth of the American biker was born. Today The
Hell’s Angels are the most prominent international motorcycle group and are
formally incorporated to prevent abuse of the Hell’s Angels name and image. The
incorporation fits the modern Angels: they are a business. Federal studies
indicate they are suspected of
producing methamphetamines (crank), PCP and LSD. Besides the Hell’s Angeles, the Pagans' motorcycle club ranks as one of the most feared in America. Active mostly in America’s Eastern area, the Pagans reportedly have more than 900 members in 44 chapters. They are considered one of the more nomadic gangs, as well. Law enforcement intelligence reports that the Pagans make a great deal of money through prostitution. Many of their prostitutes are young runaways who are coerced into the practice through threats, violence and intimidation. More than any other gang, the Pagans enjoy a close relationship with traditional ethnic organized crime. According to the Connecticut Attorney General’s office, the Pagans distribute approximately $15 million per year in methamphetamines. Security is taken care of by the Black T-shirt Gang. There is reportedly only one penalty for violating gang law: a .38 automatic fired into the back of the head. The Big Four The
Big Four outlaw gangs claim to be the "one percent" of motorcyclists who won't
conform to society's laws and morals ethics. They are the Hell's Angels, the
Outlaws, the Pagans and the Bandidos. All of them are U.S. based and have
international chapters
Constitution or By-Laws All
outlaw motorcycle clubs have by-laws or a constitution that sets an acceptable
standard of conduct and administrative procedures for the club. The by-laws
cover matters such as membership Women and the Outlaw Biker Outlaw
motorcycle gangs are male dominated and highly chauvinistic. Women are treated
as playthings and property. Women are generally victimized by forcing them into
prostitution or street level drug trafficking. The women are quite often physically and
sexually abused. In the outlaw biker's society women are bought, sold, traded or
given away within the club.
Selling drugs in the mid 1960's taught the outlaw biker the basics of supply and
demand. In the violent, profit-oriented society inhabited by the outlaw
biker, a woman is viewed as a piece of
property to rent or trade. Female gang members are always helping the outlaw biker to get ahead. An example - several Hell's Angels have their "old ladies" turn tricks in topless bars in North and South Carolina. The bars are near military bases and the "old ladies" get weapons the club needs. The Cleveland Chapter obtained three light antitank weapons (LAW) rockets through their women. Other chapters have gotten .45 caliber pistols and hand grenades from their women. |
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weapons,
and violence against other gang members and occasionally citizens at large. The
traditional approach of the criminal justice system, focusing on the crime and
not the criminal, is not effective in dealing with members of gangs.
Therefore, it is the department's position to tolerate neither gangs nor gang
activity within our jurisdiction. All crimes committed by gangs or gang
members are investigated and, when appropriate, charges will be filed. All
contacts with suspected gang members or gang associates are documented.
Suspected gang related incidents or crimes are reported as such and thoroughly
investigated by the Gang Unit. Gang Unit Officers collect and report
information on all types of gangs and do not focus on any individual or gang
solely because of ethnic or socioeconomic status. 
east side neighborhoods lived in fear of these gangsters. Quality of life
deteriorated for those who lived in the gang infested neighborhoods. 
develop strategies if a resurgence of the
problems of the past develops. The Gang Unit
criminal activity is far greater
than for any other group of people. The violent acts, usually indiscriminate,
often involve innocent victims. Gang violence often makes headlines. Gangs sell drugs, extort
business, burglarize homes, rob people, intimidate minorities, steal cars or
commit other crimes for financial gain. They kill or violently assault rival
gang members. Gangs intentionally vandalize and
destroy public and private property in order to further promote their
reputation, leaving graffiti behind them as their trademark. Abandoned houses,
walls and fences
are a favorite target for graffiti, but even occupied houses and local
businesses do not escape.
gain, and family tradition. In many cases, youths are not actively discouraged
from gang involvement by their parents. Often parents are unaware that their
children are engaged in gang activity. 
includes
white T-shirts, thin belts, baggy or sagging trousers, and a black or blue knit
cap (beanie or a bandana tied around the forehead similar to a sweatband). Gang
members also like particular brands of shoes, pants or shirts. For example, some
gangs like to wear plaid Pendleton shirts in either blue, brown, black or red.
These shirts are worn loose and untucked. Also popular are the Doc Martin or
military style boots with the military flight jackets. 
gang. Their
personal property is frequently covered with graffiti, the gang's logo, and the
member's gang name (moniker). Gang members "throw signs" with their fingers.
This means they make gestures with their hands and fingers which identify their
gang. 
advertise the
gang's status or power, and to challenge rivals. 
World War II unable
to reintegrate into the quiet society they left. With a desire to relive a bit
of the excitement they missed from the war, some vets began drifting around the
country on large-block Harley Davidson and Indian motorcycles. Hollywood
latched onto the idea of the rebel on the open road and pumped out high-and
low-budget films about the gangs with stars like Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson
and, of course, Dennis Hopper in “Easy Rider.”
The club is also suspected of growing and distributing marijuana.
According to various Federal and State investigations some chapters
allegedly have loan-sharking
and prostitution businesses as well.
with the exception of the Pagans. The Bandidos were
formed in 1966 in Houston, Texas. The gang is also known as the Bandido Nation
and is the fastest-growing outlaw gang in America. Active in the American
Southwest, the gang reportedly has 500 members. The gang is allied with the
Outlaws Motorcycle Club.
The Big Four are guided by their own code of terror. They strive to maintain
their reputation as outlaws by instilling in
requirement, penalties for misconduct, and
acceptable behavior during runs or meetings. While by-laws differ from club to
club the following are examples of common by- laws. All
members must be male and at least 18 years of age. All prospective new members
much be sponsored by a current member. All prospective new members must
complete a probation period. All members pay monthly dues and all new
members will pay initiation fees to the national
headquarters. No member shall transfer from one chapter to another without
the permission of both presidents and will pay a transfer fee to the national
treasurer. When a member is in another jurisdiction, he will abide by
their by-laws and president. Any member caught using the needle will lose
his colors and everything that goes with them. Members may only ride
Harley Davidson or Indian motorcycles.
Bikers put their women
to work in massage parlors, topless bars, cocktail lounges and strip clubs. Most
are covers for prostitution. Prostitution is the bikers' most lucrative source
of income after drugs.
Another area where the women are used effectively is intelligence gathering.
They will go into the community and take jobs at city, county and state offices
where they have access to blank birth certificates, drivers licenses, criminal
histories and other
useful documents. Other areas of employment the women will seek is that of telephone operators, employees in welfare offices and
positions within police departments and prison institutions. 
