Running

Head: PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 1

Plas Gang Task Force Proposal

Team Alpha: Steve Shea, Brad Butts, Arianna Deleon, Ray Garcia

University of San Diego

PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 2

TARGETED GANG

The Plas gang has had a negative influence on the City of Placentia for decades and

requires concentration of resources to alleviate the influence the gang has on the city. In an

effort to create a task force to deal with the plague of the Plas gang one must identify the history

of the gang, define the territory occupied by the gang, and describe the extent of the criminal

activity.

The City of Placentias gang violence dates back to the 1930s. Placentia has three

established gangs, all of which were formed during this era of agricultural expansion in North

Orange County, Ca. Furthermore, this area was the major producer of the Naval Orange. Early

Placentia gangs comprised of young Hispanic men from migrant farm-worker camps, also

known as barrios. They protected their disadvantaged and segregated neighborhoods. Rivalries

formed between competing barrios, and crime became a regular activity that signified gang

membership. The Plas criminal street gang has had a sustained history of violent crime, both

inside and outside of its geographical boundaries. Their notorious criminal and nuisance

activities have caused numerous community complaints, with safety and quality of life as a

major concern (Gloe, 2016). Based upon an established pattern of victimization of the

community, the Plas gang became the primary focus of the task force.

GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF PLAS GANG

The Plas boundaries largely encompass approximately one square mile of a residential

area. Although primarily comprised of single family dwellings, there are several large multi-

family apartment complexes within its boundaries (Butts, 2016). In this old town historic area,

homes were built mainly from 1930 to 1950, and apartment complexes were built in the 1970s.
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 3

Since 1970, the Plas gang boundaries have remained within the City of Placentia and bordered

by Madison Ave., Placentia Ave., Kraemer Blvd., as well as Crowther Ave. An accurate

geographical footprint can be found by clicking here for California Gang Territories Map and

searching Placentia, CA (Google California Gang Territories Map, 2016). The below map shows

the approximate area of the Plas gang territory within the red lines.

(Google Maps, 2016)

Currently, a rival gang called Wicked Minds occupies the north border along Madison

Avenue (Butts, 2016). The Plas territory also encompasses several large commercial strip malls,

a high school, an historic downtown district with restaurants and specialty shops, as well as fire

and police stations. BNSF railroad tracks share the south border on Crowther Ave., which is a

re-vitalization area marked for new housing and commercial projects, and a Metrolink station.

Being located where people live, work, attend school, and enjoy dining and entertainment, Plas
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 4

criminal activities have impacted the community from a standpoint of safety and have had a

negative financial impact. Unfortunately, Plas has made the area less desirable for residents,

visitors, and developers looking for revitalization (Gloe, 2016).

CRIMINAL GANG ACTIVITY

The Plas gang is a constant nuisance and source of intimidation to those who live, work,

visit, and conduct business within the prescribed zone. Additionally, rival gang participants

continue to enter the area to commit vandalism and violent acts against Plas gang members,

impacting the rest of the community. Due to a fear of retaliation from members of Plas, the

community experiences a strong sense of fear in contacting the Placentia Police Department and

reporting gang crimes. Unfortunately, retaliation accounts for a less than accurate representation

in the actual crime statistics. John Anderson of the Orange County District Attorneys Office

states, Unfortunately, gang members so frequently engage in witness intimidation that it is

considered part of normal gang behavioral dynamics (Anderson, 2007).

A major area of concern for the Plas Gang Task Force (PGTF) is with violent crime. Plas

has a long history of committing violent crimes, often with the use of weapons, upon members of

the community and on rival gang members. In the traditional Hispanic criminal street gang

subculture, as is the case with Plas, they correlate respect with violent behavior. The more

violent the reputation of an individual or the gang, the greater the level of respect is given within

the subculture. Additionally, the possession and use of firearms and knives to commit crime

further bolsters their reputation and role within the gang. Plas has a history of committing

aggravated assaults that include shootings and stabbings, several of which have resulted in
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 5

homicide or traumatic injuries. Other serious, violent crimes committed by Plas have included

robberies, kidnapping, carjacking, witness intimidation, and criminal threats (Gloe, 2016).

Also of great concern for the community are nuisance crimes that are committed by Plas,

which diminishes the quality of life in the area. Narcotic sales are a major activity in their self-

claimed turf. Having greater access to street narcotics has led many Plas members to being drug

dependent. As drug use is widespread within the gang, there is a proven correlation with

increased violent crime, including robberies, and property crime, to fund narcotic dependency.

Witness intimidation is another major concern. Explicit or implied threats are often a source of

fear and intimidation, and a factor in many crimes that are not being reported. Gang parties

where members congregate and consume alcohol or drugs are called kickbacks. They often are

conducted in public places, disturbing the peace and causing further intimidation. These

informal meetings lead to members becoming intoxicated and often facilitate criminal acts that

are planned and carried out immediately by inebriated Plas gang members (Gloe, 2016).

Lastly, crimes against property are constant activities for Plas. Graffiti is a nuisance

crime used by Plas as a constant reminder that they are present in the neighborhood. This

behavior is used to create infliction of fear and intimidation. Gang graffiti also serves as a

territorial gang marker. Other commonly committed property crimes by Plas are burglaries,

vehicle thefts, and other thefts. Each of these crimes creates a financial impact on victims.

Plas commits a multitude of crimes that present a clear and present danger to public

safety. The reluctance to contact the Placentia Police Department because of gang retaliation

and further victimization is a legitimate fear. The PGTF will be committed to an inclusive

community assessment and developing a collaborative multi-agency task force. This task force
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 6

will initiate enforcement of criminal activity, help reduce the fear and incidence of gang crime,

and restore the confidence within the community to report crime. These actions will empower

the community members to stand up against gang violence.

STRUCTURAL VARIABLES OF PLAS GANG

Within the Plas gang there are social and structural variables that assist in the

survival of this multi-generational gangs survival. A major social issue contributing to gang

membership is peer pressure. Gangs target adolescents, and other at risk youth, pressuring them

through intimidation and offering them membership as a means to ensure their safety from their

gang or other gangs. Gang life often creates camaraderie and members often feel closer to the

gang than their own families. Other major contributing factors to gang involvement are a lack of

jobs for youth, poverty compounded by social isolation, domestic violence, other negative peer

networks, lack of parental supervision, and early academic failure. All of these factors

significantly increase the chances for a young individual to join a gang (Gloe, 2016). According

to the U.S. Justice Department National Gang Intelligence Center (NGIC), there are currently

more than 1 million gang members in the US (n.d.).

The Plas gang culture is heavily entrenched in drug sales and drug use. The major

criminal structural component of Plas is their alliance with the larger Mexican Mafia, which

controls aspects of Plas activities like drug sales. Sergeant Adam Gloe of Placentia PD, a Plas

court certified expert, explains the relationship between Plas and Mexican Mafia as dependent

upon each other. Gloe states, The Mexican Mafia collects taxes from Plas drug sales in order

to fund its organization. Mexican Mafia is financially motivated and it relies upon tax payments

from criminal street gangs like Plas. The Mexican Mafia governs by asserting a common set of
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 7

rules that Plas must follow. Gloe describes these rules as paying taxes, a ban on all drive by

shootings, gangs must seek permission before committing murders, and all gang activities need

consent if they are going to disrupt Mexican Mafia business. Drug sales, weapons sales, and

human trafficking which includes sex trafficking, are the major business activities of the

Mexican Mafia and are crimes supported by Plas. Following the rules provides protection for

Plas, both inside and outside of custody. It should be noted that when in custody, all Southern

California Hispanic street gangs, including Plas, are aligned for protection against other prison

gangs. Once out of custody, individual gang members can resume their individual gangs

established rivalries with other Hispanic gangs (Gloe, 2016).

It is possible the greatest individual factor that supports the existence and operation of

Plas activities comes in the neighborhoods resistance to reporting gang crime. The first reason

for not reporting crime is witness intimidation. Threats, both verbal and implied, and retaliatory

violent criminal acts, have been an effective strategy that Plas has used to foster an atmosphere

of intimidation. Another possible reason Plas crimes are not reported is because many residents

are undocumented immigrants who fear contact with law enforcement. There is a sense of fear

that law enforcement will enforce immigration laws that would break up their families through

deportation. In the experience of Lt. Butts, other law enforcement activities, like a practice of

impounding vehicles being driven by unlicensed and undocumented drivers, results in mistrust

for police officers (Butts, 2016).

In addition to the gang culture, census data, along with information regarding income and

education data, has the ability to offer a perspective to the reader as to why an offenders actions

play a role in the correlation between crime and gang culture. Factors that can contribute to a

youths desire to join a gang include lack of employment opportunity, poverty combined with
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 8

social isolation, domestic violence, lack of parental involvement, and academic failure (Gang

Alternatives Program, 2008).

The City of Placentia is located in Orange County and, as of July 1, 2015, the population

was estimated at 52,495, placing it in the category of a larger city (US Census Bureau, 2015).

On average in 2012, 85.6% of larger cities reported gang problems (National Youth Gang

Center, n.d.). According to the 2010 census, the racial breakdown of the population of Placentia

is 44.7% White, 36.4% Hispanic, 14.9% Asian, and 1.8% African American (US Census Bureau,

2015).

The median per capita income for Placentia is $29,811 (City-Data.com, 2016) or about

the same as the State of California (Department of Numbers, 2016). A cursory look at the

income for residents of Placentia may indicate gangs should be less prevalent, but a closer look

at income distribution by ethnicity provides a more detailed analysis. The below chart

demonstrates the disparity in household income that persons of Hispanic ethnicity experience in

Placentia. Hispanic residents earn an average of more than $20,000 less than whites or blacks

and nearly $30,000 less than those of Asian ethnicity.

Median Household Income by Ethnicity

100000

80000

60000

40000

20000

0
White Black or African Asian Hispanic
American

(Statistical Atlas, 2015)

PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 9

Orange County has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, significantly lower than the state

(EDD1, 2016). However, youths aged 20 to 24 have an unemployment rate of 8.6% while 16 to

19 year olds are even worse off at 18.2%. Hispanic residents of California of all ages have an

unemployment rate of 6.7% (EDD2, 2016). These unemployment rates tend to indicate that

Hispanic youths have a higher unemployment rate than other state residents and could be

encouraged to join a gang in light of bleak employment opportunities.

Hispanic youth in Orange County experience a much lower graduation rate than some

ethnicities within Orange County. About ten percent of Orange County Hispanic youth fail to

complete high school compared to fourteen percent of the State of California. The chart below

demonstrates the high school dropout rates for Orange County and for the State of California.

Note that students of Asian and white decent complete high school at a much greater rate than

those of African American and Hispanic ethnicity. Analysis indicates that while Hispanic youth

fare better in Orange County than the state as a whole they fail at a greater rate than the other

ethnicities when compared to the rest of the state.

Failure to Graduate by Ethnicity

25

20

15

10

0
Black or African Asian Hispanic White
American

Orange County California

(Lucille Packard Foundation for Childrens Health, 2016)

PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 10

As indicated by the Gang Alternatives Program, domestic violence also plays a role in

influencing youth to join a gang. According to the California Partnership to End Domestic

Violence, forty percent of California women experience violence at the hands of a domestic

partner during their lifetime. California women aged 18-24 are eleven percent more likely to be

victims of domestic violence than other age groups. Finally, seventy-five percent of the victims

had children under the age of eighteen at home at the time of domestic violence (n.d.). These

domestic violence rates for the State of California indicate some youths could feel more inclined

to join a gang to escape the violence at home.

Gang activity within the City of Placentia occurs for a number of reasons. Peer pressure,

lack of education, and lack of employment and other opportunities can influence youth to look

for a place to fit in. Domestic violence and the desire to earn income through drug sales can also

lead young persons to consider seeking the gang life. Finally, the fear of deportation and

retaliation from gang members can leave residents of a neighborhood too fearful to assist law

enforcement.

LAW & POLICY

Working to eradicate, or at least reduce, gang violence and involvement requires

examining the demographics of the Plas gang along with how involvement changes over time.

Prevention techniques utilizing education and law enforcement officials in conjunction with

community resources can be effective. Once young gang members are contacted, methods

providing positive influence and other support may help youth escape gang life. Finally,

traditional and non-traditional enforcement of available laws should target gangs.

PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 11

Research analysis, including accurate and quantitative data of the Plas criminal street

gangs criminal activity is necessary to guide policy and policing strategies for crime reduction.

Searching 2010 through 2015 in-house Placentia Police Department CAD statistics identifies 92

documented PLAS gang members, with 37 being criminally active (2016). Crime reports, parole

and probation records, field interview cards, S.T.E.P Notifications (PC 186.22), court ordered

gang registration reports, and calls for service identify those criminally active. Plas demographic

analysis shows all are Hispanic with a staggering 79% unemployment rate. The average age is

24, ranging from 14 to 43. Juveniles account for 10.8%, or only 4 subjects, of the documented

active members (PSSI, 2016).

Although empirical evidence shows 33 of the 37 criminally active members are adults,

available data is limited, which severely under-represents the actual number of juveniles

involved in nuisance gang crimes like graffiti. Placentia PD court certified gang expert Sgt.

Adam Gloe states, Through field interviews, confidential informant intelligence, arrests, and

Miranda interviews, we know frequently unreported crimes like vandalism are committed by the

youngest members of the Plas gang. In this gang subculture, juveniles are expected to mark

territorial boundaries and feud with other gangs through gang graffiti (Gloe, 2016). The 37

active Plas gang members accounted for a substantial 157 arrests during this 6-year period. The

following is a list of their arrests: 6 aggravated assaults, 18 general assaults, 15 gun or other

dangerous weapons possession, 4 robberies, 2 kidnapping, 4 carjacking, 36 graffiti or possession

of vandalism tools, 64 violations of court-ordered gang terms and 8 burglary. All these crimes

were committed for the benefit and furtherance of the gang, but they represent only a fraction of

the crime perpetrated by Plas. CAD data shows 47 percent of the crime in the Plas territory is
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 12

gang related (PSSI, 2016). A collaborative approach is needed to reduce this multigenerational

gang, diverting its youth and bolstering suppression activity.

Before law enforcement considers prevention of youth joining a gang, one must consider

factors leading to gang entry and focus on a multifaceted approach. Most youth join gangs

between the ages of eleven and fifteen. Many factors contribute to a youth deciding to enter a

gang; therefore, prevention efforts need to focus on the community and begin at birth. In

reaching at risk kids, communities and classrooms should be included in efforts to dissuade

youth from entering gangs. Girls are also joining gangs in alarming numbers so gender-specific

prevention programs should be considered (National Institute of Justice, 2013).

Schools can be a critical beginning in the prevention formula. California Educational

Code section 51264 calls for the State Department of Education to plan and make available

strategies for in-service training of educational staff on gang violence and drug and alcohol abuse

prevention. The code also requires the State Department of Education, along with county offices

of education, to coordinate prevention efforts with law enforcement agencies, along with public

and private agencies that provide other related prevention services. Section 51264 also calls on

the State Department of Education to assist school districts and county offices of education in

obtaining state and federal funds in support of prevention programs (National Gang Center, n.d.).

In order to rise to the challenge of preventing youth from joining gangs, law enforcement

agencies can take advantage of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program

available through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The

GREAT program is a cooperative effort between schools, law enforcement, and community

resources to develop positive life skills that will help them avoid gang involvement and violent
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 13

behavior. The program teaches skills and attitudes to prevent youth involvement in gangs

through components in elementary and middle schools, family, and community (OJJDP, n.d.).

For those already under the gangs influence, intervention programs can impact our

communities through effective strategies in reducing gang violence. Using an intervention

approach involves law enforcement and community resources to steer away at risk youth and

young adults from the negative effects of the gang life style. Community based gang

intervention models can help communities reduce gang violence while strengthening

communities. Using prevention as an educational tool to strategize against gang culture

promotes other life enhancing alternatives related to goal setting, education, and employment.

Intervention programs include law enforcement resources, social services, and education

(National Institute of Justice, 2011).

For entrenched gang members, the Orange County GRIP Program (Gang Reduction and

Intervention Partnership) is aimed at gaining control of the increasing problem of gang activity.

This intervention program teams law enforcement agencies with juvenile probation and the

district attorneys office. The program is aimed towards positively influencing already troubled

youth, many of which already associate with neighborhood gangs. Working with parents and

schools, law enforcement officers provide mentor programs and offer incentives to help steer

youth away from gangs. Curfew sweeps is a common strategy used to identify at risk youth.

They are brought to a central location, where their parents are also directed, and they receive

immediate counseling and are offered follow up counseling, financial services, and social

programs that support intervention (Payne, 2012).

PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 14

When prevention and intervention efforts have failed, aggressive enforcement is

necessary. Gang suppression requires a multi-jurisdictional and collaborative partnership.

According to the National Institute of Justice, law enforcement agencies need to concentrate

resources and guarantee accountability for criminal suppression and prosecution of gang

members (2011). Unfortunately, 62% of Plas gang members are on parole or probation and 51%

are on court-ordered gang terms. California Welfare and Institutions Code 777, (CA Welfare

Institutions Code 777, 2016) and California Penal Code 1203.2 (CA Penal Code 1203.2, 2016),

enumerates arrests for probation violations. Parole and probation personnel are natural partners

for gang suppression. California Penal Code 186.22, known as the Street Terrorism Enforcement

and Prevention Act, mandates enhancements for gang crimes. As an example of its aggressive

sentencing, threats to victims and witnesses carries 15 years to life (CA Penal Code 186.22,

2016). In the past five years there have been over 40 Plas gang convictions under the Street

Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act, with an additional 20 cases still active.

For gang suppression to succeed, policing agencies need access to gang intelligence. The

Special Handling Units of the Department of Corrections and the Sheriffs Department gathers

gang intelligence by intercepting inmate phone calls and letters to identify evidence of gang

crime. Code enforcement is another resource that can be utilized, initiating fines for municipal

code violations. Gang members often congregate and live illegally in unauthorized out-buildings

on private property and can be addressed by code enforcement. US Immigration and

Naturalization Service (INS) also partners with law enforcement to deport illegal alien gang

members. Another traditional law enforcement partner is the District Attorneys Office that can

provide vertical gang prosecution units and partner with policing agencies in civil remedies like

gang injunctions (Gloe, 2016).

PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 15

Some non-traditional partners have also been effective in helping to reduce gang crime.

The local US Postal Inspector can help track wanted gang members through mail and address

notifications. DMV inspectors can provide addresses on registered vehicles and copies of checks

that include home addresses and bank account information. Since most gang members are

unemployed, they often receive welfare benefits and information from agencies can provide

accurate residential addresses. Also, Section 8 Housing (Housing Urban Development or HUD)

can assist with locating persons or they can enforce violations of housing agreements and

displace gang members from the area. For a multi-agency gang task force to be effective, it must

include all of the creative enforcement elements of suppression with a proactive and complex

approach to diverting at risk youth before they join gangs (Gloe, 2016).

Efforts to reduce gang crime and violence starts with recognizing the demographic make-

up of the Plas organization. Multifaceted prevention can help avert youth from gang

membership. Law enforcement contacting young gang members can provide resources to assist

them in leaving the gang. The final resort to manage gang crime is to enforce the law through

traditional and non-traditional methods.

LAW AND POLICY EFFICACY

When initiating strategies to reduce or eradicate gang culture in a local environment, one

must consider a multipronged approach. The first attempt should be prevention to include

general education of youths and targeting those who are most vulnerable. The next step is to

intervene with those youths who have commenced gang affiliation and attempt to reduce the

odds of a lifelong criminal career. Finally, suppression of gang activity through collaborative

enforcement of laws can help reduce the impact of gangs on a community.

PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 16

Gang prevention programs must be reviewed prior to, during, and after implementation to

determine the efficacy of the programs. A common gang prevention program utilized in the

State of California is the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program. A US

Department of Justice one-year cross-sectional study followed by a five-year longitudinal study

showed that the program was having a positive influence on relationships between law

enforcement and youths and that the GREAT program increased awareness of the consequences

of gang involvement. However, the study also concluded that GREAT did not have a significant

impact on reducing gang involvement by students (2004).

Other programs have shown more positive results at reducing problem behavior and

arrests. The Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies (PATHS) program works to develop

social competencies among students and teacher classroom management techniques. A 1998

study by Greenberg, Kusche, and Mihalic showed participants demonstrated less problem

behavior, to include juvenile arrests, and that the improved behavior continued through high

school. Additionally, a 2010 study determined that the PATHS program lower[ed] rates of use

of health and mental health services (Simon, Ritter, & Mahendra, 2013, pp 92-93).

A more selective program targeting at risk youth can help to increase the effectiveness of

gang prevention. The home-based backup reinforcement (HBR) program combines educators

and parents to target poor school behavior. Educators target the specific behavior at school and

report progress to parents through daily report cards. The parent can then use reinforcements at

home to discourage poor behavior or encourage positive behavior. Once targeted poor behavior

has reduced, other behaviors may be targeted. Although HBRs role in gang reduction has not

been studied, it has been shown to improve problem behavior (Simon, Ritter, & Mahendra,

2013).
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 17

In order to better target youths at risk of joining gangs, an alternative is to seek youths

who have been arrested and are not attending school. The Associates for Renewal in Education

(ARE) started a charter school in 1997 for the District of Columbia specifically aimed at

providing educational opportunities to youths in the juvenile justice system. Although the school

failed after only five years, the targeting of youth to improve social skills and stressors while

providing community resources could provide a model to return at risk kids to school (Simon,

Ritter, & Mahendra, 2013).

Once youths have entered a gang, intervention can work toward detaching them from the

gang and save the community tax dollars over the long term. A case study was conducted by

researchers from Vanderbilt University Law School who came to the conclusion that, If

juveniles can be prevented from becoming career criminals, the savings may be enormous. For

example, the typical career criminal imposes about $65,000 in costs through age 12 and about

$230,000 through age 14. However, throughout a lifetime, these costs aggregate to nearly $5.7

million. Thus, early interventions targeting high risk youth can have high payoffs if they are

effective (Cohen & Piquereo, 2008).

The Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership (GRIP) is a program

that has combined the efforts of local law enforcement agencies with that of the Orange County

District Attorney and local school districts. The primary goal is to reduce violence and gang

affiliation among youth. The program has successfully gained control of the increasing problem

of gang activity in Orange County, through positive interventions. The Orange County GRIP is

credited with servicing 48 elementary and middle school locations within the county. As a

result, the program reports a decrease in truancy status offenses, suspensions, and expulsions.

Statistically, the program reports various success rates at several locations where the program is
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 18

implemented targeting intervention of youths ranging from 8 to 12 years of age (Orange County

Gang Reduction and Intervention, n.d.).

In 2008-2009, interviews that were related to the subject of crime and delinquency issues

were conducted by the Orange County District Attorneys Office Gang and Graffiti Unit. The

study focused on three different age groups who were known gang members in Orange County.

Group one was 22 years and over, group two were under the age of 21, and the third group was

under the age of 14. The findings reported that in 1998, at its peak, there were over 10,000

known gang members in Orange County who were aged 22 and older. However, that number

decreased by 20% to less than 8,000 by 2007. In 1999 at its peak, it was also reported that there

were over 7,000 known gang members under age 21 in Orange County. Similarly, the number of

youth who were under 21 also decreased to approximately just over 4,000 by 2007. In 1998,

there were less than 200 known juvenile gang members in Orange County under the age of 14.

That number has since increased to 250 in 2007. The data that supported the notion of juvenile

recruitment into gang culture has continued to be steady and increased over duration of time.

Intervention programs should be considered as an attempt to prevent these juveniles from

becoming career criminals (Orange County Grand Jury, 2009).

For those youths who are not separated from gang culture through intervention,

California laws and policing policies provide the supportive framework for gang suppression

strategies. Placentia Gang Detectives use laws such as the Street Terrorism Enforcement and

Prevention (STEP) act to reduce gang violence. The Placentia Police Department (PPD) has

partnered with the Orange County District Attorneys Office (OCDA) and Orange County (OC)

Probation, working collaboratively against gang violence. Both allied agencies provide officers
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 19

to assist in Placentias field enforcement efforts. Direct criminal filings and a gang injunction

initiative effort has been another strategy between PPD and the OCDA (Gloe, 2006).

The Placentia Police Department, the OCDAs Office and OC Probation collaborate in a

Tri-Agency Resource Gang Enforcement Team, or TARGET. This collaborative gang units

mission is to remove active and violent gang members through criminal street enforcement, also

using violations of probation (Ca. Penal Code 1203.2) and aggressive gang prosecutions. In a

recent interview with Sr. OC Deputy District Attorney Jason Baez, he stated, Gangs are

responsible for over half of all homicides committed in Orange County. Our gang unit is

responsible for the prosecution of these serious and violent offenders. Each year, the OCDA

files and prosecutes about 1,000 gang cases resulting in 80 jury trials. Most gang cases lead to

convictions through plea bargain leading to a conviction rate greater than 90 percent (Baez,

2016).

In 1988, California adopted the California STEP act that established a violation of law for

being an active participant in a criminal street gang (Ca. Penal Code 186.22). In 2000,

sentencing penalties were added for crimes that are committed for the benefit of a street gang.

The OCDA and PPD extensively use the STEP act (Ca. Penal Code 186.22) to arrest and

prosecute gang members for their crimes, seeking the strictest possible penalties for gang crimes

(Orange County District Attorney, n.d.). The STEP Act has reduced gang violence in Ca. due to

severe sentencing. For example, a felony conviction of PC 136.1 (Ca. Penal Code 136.1),

commonly known as witness intimidation, can result in a sentence of 4 years. The same crime,

prosecuted under the STEP Act, or PC 186.22, carries a sentence of 25 years to life. Due to

more violent gang members being incarcerated, Placentia has seen a sharp reduction in gang
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 20

homicides. In 1995, Orange County had 70 gang homicides, but just 11 in 2014. This is a

reflection of the efficacy of the STEP Act (Gloe, 2016).

Gang injunctions also serve as an effective suppression strategy. In 2014, the OCDA

partnered with the PPD in filing a gang injunction against Plas. A Gang Injunction is a civil

court order against named gang members with narrowly-tailored restrictions that designates

specific gang behavior as a public nuisance (Orange County District Attorney, n.d.). Gang

injunctions help remove individuals who associate with gangs. Based on a pattern of criminal

activities like intimidation, assaults, drug sales and use, weapons possession, trespassing and

graffiti, gang members may be arrested and convicted if found in violation of the gang injunction

simply by entering or loitering in designated safety zones (Baez, 2016). Since the 2014

inception of the Plas gang injunction, PPD statistics show a 38 percent overall reduction in Plas

gang crimes (Public Safety Systems, Inc., 2016).

Preventing youths from entering a gang can be effective when targeting youths through

programs that include educators and parents. Additionally, targeting at risk youths can be more

effective at reducing youths in gangs. Intervening on behalf of youths entering or in gangs

requires partnership between schools, law enforcement, and the justice system. For those who

are entrenched in the gang culture, collaboration among law enforcement agencies to enforce

laws targeting gangs, such as the STEP act and TARGET, can help reduce gang activity in the

community.

PREVENTION, INTERVENTION AND ENFORCEMENT STRATEGIES

Thwarting gang crime and violence starts with preventing youth from entering the Plas

gang by partnering with schools and the community. Targeting youth in or entering the Plas
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 21

gang involves educators, the community, and targeting at risk youth. Finally, the Plas Gang

Task Force will collaborate with appropriate partners and focus on eliminating the gangs

influence on the community through enforcement and suppression efforts.

Preventing youth from entering the gang can only help efforts to eliminate the Plas gang.

In order to start a gang prevention program, the community should manage an assessment

regarding gang-problems to identify high risk factors that lead to gang involvement and juvenile

delinquency. The assessment would help both communities and neighborhoods to better

understand the gradual development of gangs. The assessment team shall consist of

representatives of law enforcement, educators, social services, and community leaders.

Questions of who, what, where, and why should be considered on the evaluation to determine the

gang history, the crimes committed, the time and location of gang activity, and the reasons

behind gang activity. In other words, getting as much background information about the gangs

activities and motives would be a good way to find out how to help (Howell, 2010).

Secondly, the youth would need to be targeted in schools and after school programs. For

example, the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program (L2) is a school-

based gang-prevention curriculum that has demonstrated evidence of effectiveness. Law

enforcement officers offer middle school students a 13-week curriculum that describes the

dangers of gang involvement. The lesson content emphasizes cognitive-behavioral training,

social skills development, refusal skills, and conflict resolution. The G.R.E.A.T. program also

offers an elementary school curriculum, a summer program, and training for families (GREAT,

n.d.).
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 22

Other programs have also shown positive results at reducing problem behavior and

arrests. The Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies (PATHS) program works to develop

social competencies among students and teacher classroom management techniques. A 1998

study by Greenberg, Kusche, and Mihalic showed participants demonstrated less problem

behavior, to include juvenile arrests, and that the improved behavior continued through high

school. Additionally, a 2010 study determined that the PATHS program lower[ed] rates of use

of health and mental health services (Simon, Ritter, & Mahendra, 2013, pp 92-93). Combining

these efforts with other programs involving community members and mentors paired with at risk

youth can help reduce the number of youth entering the gang.

Once youths have entered a gang, intervention can help to extricate members back into

positive role in society. A strategic course of action for implementing an intervention plan

should focus on active participants in a centralized location such as school settings. According

to a survey conducted by Gottfredson and Gottfredson 2001, 7.6 percent of male respondents

and 3.8 percent of female respondents at the secondary level, reported that they belonged to a

gang. Based on the increased number of students reporting a gang presence at school between

2001 and 2010, this number has likely increased, although no subsequent nationwide studies

have been conducted. Additionally, a survey conducted by the National Crime Victimization

Survey group in 2007, presented findings that, 23 percent of Students reported the presence

of gangs on their school campus or in the surrounding area in 2007. This represents an increase

in the percentage of students reporting gangs on or around campus in 2003 (21 percent). Schools

in urban areas appear to be the most affected by the presence of gangs: 36 percent of urban

students reported gangs, versus 21 percent of suburban and 16 percent of rural students in 2005

(Arciaga, Sakamoto, & Jones, 2010).

PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 23

According to data provided by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse

reported in 2010 that, Forty-five percent of high School students say there are gangs or students

who consider themselves to be part of a gang in their school. With schools being a focal point

of gang activity, based on this information, the use of a school based gang intervention program,

would be appropriate for finding alternative approaches to the gang lifestyle. Using the school

based gang intervention model, the program can be divided into two separate approaches. The

first approach, referred to as the Whole School approach, utilizes strict standards to correct

undesired behavior displayed by youth participating in gang culture (Howell, 2010). One such

example provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, states that the

standardization of dress code policies reflecting gang clothing or paraphernalia can reduce

conflict within that type of setting (Arciaga, Sakamoto, & Jones, 2010). Aside from the

extremely baggy clothing that is worn by gang members, the Plas gang has specific insignias that

they wear on ball caps, shirts and jackets, to represent their gang. Two major league baseball

team insignias that are commonly used by Plas gang member to identify their gang are the San

Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies. The initials SF, which signifies the Giants, is also

used to represent Santa Fe Street in Placentia which is a street in the old town area of the gang.

Philadelphia Phillies uses a P insignia, with the gang exploiting the insignia for Plas. They

also commonly wear Pittsburg Steelers football jerseys, identifying the P in Pittsburg with Plas

(Butts, 2016). The second approach to conducting an intervention program would be to utilize

an individual gang intervention approach. The goal of this approach is to persuade and redirect

youth involved in gang culture to steer away from the Plas gang. In order to conduct a

successful approach to this intervention technique, resources need to be made available which

would impact the participants life skills. The focus of the program would direct its resources at
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 24

providing alternatives to the Plas gang lifestyle and culture, by facilitating educational

advancement opportunities. The program should also be able to provide close supervision and

monitoring by law enforcement and other involved partnership groups (Arciaga, Sakamoto, &

Jones, 2010).

For those individuals who could not be persuaded away from gang involvement, strict

enforcement is key to reducing gang crime and violence. Proactive Plas gang enforcement

requires a multi-jurisdictional and collaborative partnership between traditional policing

personnel and agencies, criminal supervision units and the Orange County District Attorneys

Office (OCDA). All of these law enforcement resources share the common goal of reducing

gang crime through aggressive enforcement of laws related to gang suppression, greater

accountability in supervising convicted gang members who are subject to conditions of parole

and/or probation, and the aggressive prosecution of public offenses committed by gang members.

According to the National Institute of Justice, law enforcement agencies need to concentrate

resources and guarantee accountability for criminal suppression and prosecution of gang

members (2011).

The first logical partnership that the Placentia gang task force (PGTF) would employ is

partnering with existing Placentia Police Department (PPD) enforcement resources like patrol,

narcotics detectives and other field enforcement units. The PGTF would add specific Plas gang

crime reduction directives into the departments watch goals and objectives and assure that the

objectives of the task force are being supported by the overall mission statement of the PPD.

Uniting Placentia enforcement personnel builds cohesive proactive suppression efforts to arrest

gang members, prevents gang crimes, and builds Plas intelligence. Based upon Plas pattern of

narcotics activity, and the history of narcotics sales which is regulated under the framework and
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 25

governance of the Mexican Mafia, narcotics detective support is beneficial to the overall success

of the task force (Gloe, 2016). In-house PPD arrest statistics show that 43% of all Plas gang

arrests are made by patrol officers and narcotics detectives, highlighting the importance of

utilizing all existing PPD field enforcement resources (PSSI, 2016).

Plas gang activity is not entirely limited to the identified Plas territory. Crime data shows

that 21% of reported Plas crime occurs outside of Placentia, in neighboring jurisdictions. Plas

crimes committed on rival turf includes attempted homicides and assaults, crimes involving

weapons possession, narcotics violations, auto theft and graffiti (PSSI, 2016). Sharing a

common public safety interest in reducing Plas crime, allied gang units are beneficial for overall

crime reduction. In building a collaborative team, parole and probation personnel support is also

essential. In fact, 63% of Plas membership is currently on probation and 29% are on parole.

Furthermore, 86% percent of all documented Plas gang members have previously been subject to

conditions of a 4th Amendment search and seizure waiver as a condition of their parole and/or

probation status (PSSI, 2016). Allocating a desk or workspace for parole and probation agents

alongside PGTF and regularly assisting them with searches and arrest warrants is another

effective strategy in having the immediate ability to violate the terms of parole or probation

whenever appropriate.

The OCDA has a crucial role in the success of the PGTF, since the staff partners with the

PPD and Orange County Probation to form the Tri-Agency Resource Gang Enforcement Team,

or TARGET. This collaborative units mission is to remove active and violent gang members

through criminal street enforcement and aggressive gang prosecutions (Orange County District

Attorney, n.d.). Senior OC Deputy District Attorney Jason Baez stated, We specialize in

providing agencies the resources to deal with their gang problems. We assign gang investigators
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 26

to assist with enforcement efforts and we have an aggressive vertical gang prosecution unit

(Baez, 2016). Vertical gang prosecutions are handled by a team of specialized gang prosecutors

and investigators who take a case from its filing all the way through the trial and sentencing.

They are especially impactful because prosecutions are handled by experienced and

knowledgeable gang investigators and prosecutors who collaborate in building gang prosecutions

(Orange County District Attorney, n.d.).

Finally, the PGTF will partner with the OCDA in completing and enforcing a gang

injunction against Plas. This civil court order restricts many non-criminal gang behaviors and

makes them public nuisance crimes. There are a dozen active gang injunctions already in place

in Orange County that provide models for future injunctions. There has been a significant

reduction in criminal street gang activity in each of the existing safety zones. Violent crime in

the 12 gang injunction safety zones fell by up to 65 percent after the injunctions were put in

place (Orange County District Attorney, n.d.). A gang injunction will help PGTF and its

partners to remove individuals who associate with the Plas gang.

The first step to reducing the Plas gang influence on the City of Placentia is to prevent

youth from entering the gang. The next step is to work with new member youth in attempts to

help them leave the gang life behind. Finally, collaboration among law enforcement agencies for

targeted and strict enforcement of laws can help reduce the influence of the Plas gang on the City

of Placentia.

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE PLAS GANG TASK FORCE

The mission of the Plas Gang Task Force is creating safe and secure neighborhoods

which are free of violent crime and gang activity. The PGTF works with community partners to
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 27

prevent youth from entering the gang lifestyle and to provide a path of intervention for those

associates willing to leave the gang life. For those who commit crimes in support of gangs, the

Plas Gang Task Force will provide strict enforcement of all laws. This crime suppression effort is

done through a collaborative effort of combining police officers, probation officers, parole

agents, and prosecutors whose common objective is to provide targeted intelligence gathering,

enforcement, investigation, and targeted prosecution of criminally active gang members.

STAKEHOLDERS

The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District holds the key to prevention for those

youths not already engaged in the gang subculture. As of 2015, the school district had 25,595

students enrolled. Forty percent of those students are identified as Hispanic, the primary

ethnicity targeted by the Plas gang (Kidsdata.org, 2016). The Plas Gang Task Force (PGTF) will

work closely with school official in a number of capacities. First, the PGTF will advise school

officials regarding gang issues in the community, update information regarding known gang

attire, and provide staff to participate in ongoing gang prevention initiatives. Examples of

programs the PGTF can support include Gang Resistance Education And Training (GREAT,

n.d.) and Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies (Simon, Ritter, & Mahendra, 2013).

The PGTF will also support community driven alternatives to gangs, to the extent

allowed by law. Examples of initiatives that can provide positive experiences for youth include,

but are not limited to, Boys & Girls Club, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Explorer Scouts, sports clubs,

and religious organizations providing outreach to at risk youth. With the exception of the Boys

& Girls Club, these organizations currently exist in the City of Placentia. An effort is currently

underway to bring the Boys & Girls Club back to the City of Placentia.
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 28

Partners within the city government can help target specific problems. The Placentia

Code Enforcement Department will be asked to work with landowners to secure vacant buildings

and to enforce neighborhood nuisance laws. The Placentia Public Works Department will be

asked to respond as quickly as possible to remove or cover up gang graffiti.

Working closely with our law enforcement partners in the parole and probation field

provides two opportunities to work toward the goals of the PGTF. First, the PGTF, along with

our partners, can target those gang members in the criminal justice system for intervention.

Second, supporting the efforts of our partners can help those gang members engaging in criminal

activity to return to jail or prison. Examples of partners in the parole and probation field include

Orange County Probation for adults and juveniles (Mission Statement, n.d.), the Orange County

Juvenile Justice System (Orange County Juvenile Justice System, n.d.), and the Division of

Adult Parole Operations California Department of Corrections (Division of Adult Parole

Operations, 2016).

The efforts of the PGTF for gang suppression will not yield adequate results unless cases

are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. In an effort to see that all cases receive appropriate

attention, the PGTF will partner with the Orange County District Attorneys Office (OCDA).

Optimally, the OCDA will assign one or more attorneys to work in the PGTF to guide officers on

case preparation and other legal requirements.

Unfortunately, gangs do not observe geopolitical boundaries such as the city limits and

the gang members are known to create alliances with other gangs in other jurisdictions. It is

important that the PGTF work with other law enforcement partners in the surrounding areas.

The Anaheim Police Department, Fullerton Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriffs
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 29

Department, with associated gang units, are natural partners. PGTF will share intelligence with

these agencies and intend to call on them for larger operations. PGTF will in turn provide

similar support to the noted agencies or other agencies looking for assistance.

TARGETED OUTCOMES

Plas crime represents a significant public safety concern that the PGTF intends to reduce.

Using a five-year sample for Plas related crime statics from January 2011 to January 2016,

internal data shows Plas accounted for 6 homicides, 13 aggravated assaults, 34 assault and

battery cases, 46 robberies and 7 car-jacking incidents (PSSI, 2016). Gang intelligence shows

that most of these crimes were conceived and ordered spontaneously since previous Plas

investigations have shown they commit crimes of opportunity. Additionally, crimes are often

initiated and ordered to be carried out immediately following meetings, or gang hang outs, which

include congregating in large numbers in public places while consuming drugs and alcohol.

Targeting gang hangouts, gang crimes, including curfews, and working with partners can help to

reduce the Plas influence on the community.

Strict enforcement of Plas gang crime is the top priority of the Plas Gang Task Force

(PGTF). Focused on reducing violent gang crime, PGTF objectives include strict field

enforcement of all laws pertaining to gang suppression and collaboration with the Orange

County District Attorneys Office (OCDA) in aggressively filing gang cases. To ensure that its

efforts are impactful, the PGTF will ensure arrests are filed under the Street Terrorism

Enforcement and Prevention Act, California Penal Code 186.22, which mandates sentencing

enhancements for gang members who are convicted of gang crimes (CA Penal Code 186.22,

2016).
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 30

Another goal of the PGTF is proactive enforcement of the current Plas gang injunction.

In a recent OCDA report, violent crime decreased by 65% in 12 gang injunction safety zones in

Orange County as a result of aggressive injunction enforcement (Orange County District

Attorney, n.d.). The Plas injunction will help PGTF and its partners remove individuals who

associate with the gang. Based upon the results other gang injunctions, we expect to see at least

a 40% decrease in violent Plas gang crimes over the next year. This decrease will be attributed

to our objective of zero tolerance gang enforcement and by enforcing the provisions of a

restrictive gang injunction. The PGTF will collect monthly data for the previous year to

determine a baseline of criminal activity. Once the PGTF obtains and begins enforcing the gang

injunction, monthly statistics regarding crime associated with the Plas gang will be kept to

determine the effectiveness of the civil injunction and strict enforcement efforts. The PGTF will

gather similar numbers for other gangs in the area to help determine whether changes are due to

its efforts or part of a more general drop in crime.

Partnering with probation and parole personnel will enhance targeting Plas members

already in the criminal justice system. With 62% of Plas gang members on parole or probation

and 51% are on court-ordered gang terms, the PGTF will partner with probation and parole

personnel quarterly to conduct unannounced 4th Amendment waiver home checks of all

supervised Plas gang members. Home checks, or searches, will hold Plas members accountable

and violations will result in arrests. The PGTF will adhere to its zero-tolerance policy for

criminal violations and will plan for increased arrests for juvenile probation violations, pursuant

to violations of California Welfare and Institutions Code 777 (CA Welfare Institutions Code 777,

2016), and adult probation violations, pursuant to California Penal Code 1203.2 (CA Penal Code

1203.2, 2016). Initially the home checks are likely to result in increased arrests. An indicator
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 31

for success in compliance checks, will be future compliance with relevant laws and a decrease in

arrests during home checks. The PGTF will determine the number of arrests of Plas gang

members monthly during home checks over the previous year then keep monthly statistics into

the future to help determine the value of the targeted home checks.

Another measure of PGTF success will be removing Plas members from known public

hangouts as well as displacing them from living in the area. The PGTF will partner with

Placentia Code Enforcement and Public Works to revitalize known Plas hang out locations by

making the public environment undesirable for gang members to congregate. Increasing the

lighting and visibility of hangouts, keeping the locations under video surveillance, and frequent

patrols helps to keep gang members from congregating in public. The PGTF will also work with

Code Enforcement to hold property owners responsible to secure all uninhabited and rundown

buildings that function as gang hangouts. Public Works will immediately paint over graffiti to

reduce the Plas influence in the neighborhood. The PGTF will collaborate with the US

Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 8 Housing program for gang

abatements that take away subsidized housing benefits for gang members and gang supporters,

permanently displacing them from the community. A strong measure for success is having fewer

gang members congregating in public places and living in the neighborhood. The PGTF will

conduct a study in December, 2016 to determine the number of Plas gang members living in the

City of Placentia. The PGTF will conduct the same study in December, 2017, or as needed, to

determine whether the number of Plas gang members in the city is increasing or decreasing over

time. The PGTF will also conduct a study of reported graffiti associated with the Plas gang on a

monthly basis over the past year. Subsequently, the PGTF will keep monthly statistics regarding
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 32

associated graffiti to determine the effectiveness of its efforts and the efforts of the Placentia

Public Works Department.

Gang prevention and intervention strategies are also important to the success of the

PGTF. Identifying at-risk youth and those already under the influence of the gang requires a

coordinated effort from law enforcement and other community partners to separate youth from

the influence of gangs. The Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program is a

school-based gang-prevention curriculum that has demonstrated evidence of effectiveness. Law

enforcement officers offer middle school students a 13-week curriculum that describes the

dangers of gang involvement. The lesson content emphasizes cognitive-behavioral training,

social skills development, refusal skills, and conflict resolution. The G.R.E.A.T. program also

offers an elementary school curriculum, a summer program, and training for families (GREAT,

n.d.). We will utilize the G.R.E.A.T. program in all three middle schools and high schools.

The existing police and fire explorer programs have been successful in positively

influencing many at risk youth from gang neighborhoods. Also, organizations like the Boys and

Girls Clubs, local sports teams and library tutoring and reading programs have been successful in

diverting youth from gangs. We will actively recruit youth from the gangs territory for these

programs. A measure of success would be increased involvement from local youth in programs

that can have a larger positive influence on the youth from the neighborhood.

The Orange County GRIP Program (Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership) is

aimed at gaining control of the increasing problem of gang activity. The PGTF will team with

juvenile probation and the district attorneys office in this intervention program. This program is

aimed at positively influencing already troubled youth, many of which already associate with
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 33

neighborhood gangs. Working with parents and schools, law enforcement officers provide

mentor programs and offer incentives to help steer youth away from gangs. Curfew sweeps is a

common strategy used to identify at risk youth. The objective is to bring youth and their parents

to a central location to receive immediate counseling with an offer for follow up counseling,

financial services, and social programs (Payne, 2012). A measure of success for the PGTF

would be a reduction in the number of youth violating curfew and can be measured against

previous curfew sweeps.

Plas gang violence is one of the greatest challenges to Placentias public safety. It has

impacted the community causing fear, intimidation and violence. The PGTF gang enforcement

strategies represent our commitment to improving the publics safety and quality of life. These

reduction and intervention strategies are targeted at saving our youth from gang influence. A

coordinated and collaborative approach, which includes our community stakeholders, is the best

approach to reducing this community crime problem. Law enforcement resources, both inside

and outside of Placentia PD, must come together to reduce this persistent gang problem.
PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 34

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PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 36

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PLAS GANG TASK FORCE PROPOSAL 38

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