The LAPD is facing a major setback in tracking street gang crime due to the ban on using the CalGang database. This decision was made in 2020 after pressure from police reform campaigners, leaving the department unable to properly investigate gang-related activities.
According to Capt. Ahmad Zarekani, head of the LAPD Gang and Narcotics Division, the department is now prohibited from tracking individuals based on their gang affiliation. The CalGang database, which contained information on approximately 80,000 suspected gang members, has been rendered inaccessible to the police.
The ban on using the database was enforced by California’s then-Attorney General Xavier Becerra following allegations of falsified gang affiliations by officers. Activist groups advocating for police reform, particularly in the wake of the George Floyd incident and the Black Lives Matter movement, played a significant role in pushing for the database’s discontinuation.
While some groups welcomed the end of the CalGang database, citing discrimination against black and Latino men who made up the majority of its entries, others, like LA’s top federal prosecutor Bill Essayli, criticized the decision. Essayli argued that the ban undermines local authorities and shifts the burden to the federal justice system.
The impact of the ban on tracking gang members was evident in a recent multi-agency operation, dubbed “Operation Dead Horse,” which led to multiple arrests of the 18th Street gang. Despite the success of the operation in apprehending key gang members involved in drug dealing, extortion, and other criminal activities, the lack of access to the database has hindered law enforcement’s ability to accurately gauge the gang’s presence in LA.
The 18th Street Gang, also known as Barrio 18, is a large, multi-ethnic street gang with a significant presence across the US, Mexico, and Central America. While the recent raids dealt a blow to the gang’s leadership structure, there are concerns that they may regroup and continue their criminal activities.
Overall, the ban on using the CalGang database has had far-reaching implications for the LAPD’s efforts to combat gang crime. Without access to critical intelligence on suspected gang members, law enforcement faces challenges in effectively addressing the ongoing threat posed by street gangs in Los Angeles.
