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By Alex Alonso (StreetGangs.com)
November 26, 2009
Alex Alonso interviewing FBI Special Agent Robert Clark, Nov. 19, 2009
Nine of the defendants were charged federally with possession of crack cocaine for sales, conspiracy to possess crack for sales and firearms violations. The other eight defendants will be charged by the State of California in Los Angeles Superior Court.
We visited the FBI headquarters in Los Angeles and spoke to Special Agent in Charge, Robert Clark about the recent search warrants executed against the Athens Park members, their ongoing operations in Los Angeles, the Mexican cartels, crime in LA and their increased investigations against LA street gangs. In 2009 the FBI has arrested nearly 650 gang members in LA and have lead investigations at least 14 times against different gangs in LA. (interview below).
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November 28th, 2009 at 7:30 am
I found the FBI interview Alex Alonso very informative. Thank you. Daniel B. Vasquez
November 28th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
This Gang problem is a real mess and I commend all the work that the FBI , police and various groups and people are putting into solving this problem.
I was researching LA gangs in the early 80s and into 90s and saw the epidemic exploded in 1983 – 84 when the “War on Drugs” was declared by the Federal Government (look at your FBI statistics charts). This was the flashpoint to where gangs, who were mainly in drug sales started arming themselves and having gang wars in the streets. ( words have large impact on simple minds) added to the mix was the influx of crack cocaine which is in the class of speed or uppers which helps intensify violent behavior.
To make it even worse, initially rap music emerged as a new way of communicating in the violence riddled communities for people to help cope with the violence going on in their streets. Originally, most raps songs were about the problems and struggles on the streets. Soon gangs saw another way of making money and actual gang members would end up taking over a big part of the rap industry ( i.e. death Row records) gang members like Snoop Dogg would call out specific cities around the country (as in Spokane, Houston & New Orleans) with messages in the songs that helped indoctrinate gang members. By doing this, further they have infiltrated mainstream America with gang rap songs have spread it throughout not only the country but throughout the world (many of the young rebels in various wars throughout Africa have been found to have headphones on listening to Gang rap music) causing trends of gang activity to spread like wildfire.
Although we must keep arresting and jailing gang members will never catch up with it until we solve the problem at its root.
Come up with a new language for one as far as the War on drugs. Maybe even declare the war is over. The more that word war is used more gasoline is thrown on the fire.
Another thing is create a campaign to parents of the graphic violence drugs and alcohol, abuse to woman that’s inside Gang rap music and help them realize its coming from gang members who are recruiting their Kids as new gang members. Otherwise don’t think we’ll ever have enough jails to keep them all in.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Steve, if you think the gang problem is rooted in the 80’s and 90’s you are ill-informed. Many of the black gangs in LA today had roots since the 50’s and there are many documented Mexican gangs in LA and Texas since around the 20’s. To me, in my opinion, just stating what I believe; this problem’s roots are at the feet of an overtly vocal and oppressive White, christian Nationalistic past and present that treated the gangs and the urban communities as if they didn’t matter, because at that point it was isolated to the places that had no political clought or influence. And often, it was the opression by the white kids, their parents, the police and the community that CAUSED the gangs to form in the first place, because they were “protecting” their neighborhoods from the invading hoards of white, christian, nationalistic devils that oppressed them.
It was J U ST the ghetto, or the hood, or the barrio or the “minority” neighborhoods in those days, so F’ em – let them rot, because who cares? So over the last 60 + years these gangs adapted, organized, became powerful and started the cycle over every decade until we get where we are today. They know the game, they know the streets and worst of all – they know the law enforcement tactics used to police their neighborhoods… which is why Alonso asked, what happens when you remove 650 gang members all at once, and a 1,000 new recruits (younger, dumber, and more violent) take their place? They know how to operate within the system, because they were made part of the system a long, long time ago….. so good luck using old tricks to try and tame a new dog.
December 1st, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Great Work in the community from the FBI. I believe that with the pressure being put on street gangs by the feds as well as local law enforcement maybe our youth will think twice about the choices they make. I love the citizen academy info class idea. Communication and education is key.
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:58 am
Legalize drugs and end a lot of the violence!
December 5th, 2009 at 12:53 am
I actually have to agree with Mike. There are 3 or possibly four ways to lower gang problems. One, get rid of all the liquor stores in the hood. That will decrease gang violence by 35% guarenteed. Two, females stop supporting gang bangin. Females are responsible for most of the crime in America. I say that because a-males want to impress females, and b-they’re behind a lot of the killings cuz some guy may have slept with this guy’s girl and he get’s mad and a fight breaks out…then bang a homicide…then…a full fledge gang war over what??? A bitch. Three, leaglize drugs and make them non profitable for drug dealers. Leagalization of weed could not only reduce crime, but empty the prisons, and increase revenue for the entire country. That means new weed corporations would develop along with mass production of factories producing the product…to top it off sell it in stores for less than what drug dealers sell it in the streets. That means the dealer has to lower his price until it becomes almost nonprofit…that goes for crack, speed, ecstacy, and all those other drugs people get hooked on out in the streets. They should just go ahead and make some crack houses where people can legally purchase crack and smoke. More revenue for the government. But I guess the government doesn’t see it that way…instead their war on drugs has been even more pointless than George W. Bush’s war on terror and finding weapons of mass destruction.
December 5th, 2009 at 8:38 am
What cities need to do is put gang deletion specialists on the ground. These specialists would elimanate gangs from their cities using Extreme Tactical Procedures. Cremate the remain and move on. This is the only way, if not our tax base will soon disappear and towns will turn into ghettos. Just like the Millions in Central and South America. Somebody has got to step-up and help the American people live free!
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:19 am
thanks
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:19 am
well said
January 19th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
When you’re right you’re right DBONE.