Santa Rosa Police Department
Gang Crimes Team
1 Public Safety Subcommittee Meeting Chief John Cregan
Sergeant Travis Menke
Santa RosaPolice Department
INTRODUCTION
• In 2019, the police department reassigned Gang Crimes Team detectives to patrol positions to address significant department-wide staffing issues. • Since the disbandment of the Gang Crimes Team, Santa Rosa has experienced increased gang activity. SRPD identified the need for a dedicated team of trained gang investigators to address criminal behaviorand the root causes of gang activity.
• This team provides a crucial bridge for those in need to find community resources.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS
SRPD met with residents and community stakeholders to discuss how to build a Gang Crimes Team that meets the needs of our community, including:
• Chief’s Community Advisory Team
• Mayor’s Town Hall Meetings
• Public Safety and Prevention Tax Oversight Committee
GANG CRIMES TEAM PRIORITIES
• Gang Crimes Team consists of four detectives and one sergeant who investigate gang-related offenses in our community.
• The Gang Crimes Team has four key priorities:
• Prevention - Help prevent our youth from ever joining gangs. • Intervention - Help active gang members safely leave the gang lifestyle behind. • Education - Gang awareness and prevention courses to students, parents, teachers, police officers, and other community groups.
• Enforcement - Work to quickly solve violent gang crimes before additional community members are victimized.
DESCRIPTION OF GANG CRIMES TEAM
• This is NOT a “gang task force”. This misnomer is commonly used to refer to a former countywide gang team consisting of officers who made proactive contacts across the county.
• The SRPD Gang Crimes Team consists of four plainclothes detectives who investigate all gang crimes that occur in Santa Rosa, including violent crimes. • The team has a dedicated supervisor to monitor their investigations and ensure the team meets the expectations of Chief Cregan and our community.
FUNDING FOR GANG CRIMES TEAM
• The sergeant position was funded by the Public Safety and Prevention Tax (formerly called Measure O). The four detective positions were existing full-time employee positions that are now filled due to staffing returning to normal levels.
ADDRESSING IMPLICIT BIAS
• SRPD DOES NOT participate in Cal Gang which caused concerns of labeling individuals as gang members.
• All detectives receive training on implicit bias and procedural justice. We also work to ensure relational and constitutional policing as we partner with our community to address the root causes of violence.
BRIDGE TO RESOURCES
• Detectives will be encouraged to refer juvenile offenders who commit non- violent offenses to a local restorative justice program. SRPD has a memorandum of understanding with .RJ, a local non-profit, to accomplish this mission.
• Detectives will work closely with Juvenile Probation to increase the number of youth in the local diversion programs and assist youth with a pathway out of gang participation.
• A representative from the Gang Crimes Team will attend the monthly Violence Prevention Partnership (VPP) Operational Team meetings, and detectives work to make regular referrals to VPP staff and other local non-profit organizations. • The bridge between those in need and the VPP will help expedite services to the most vulnerable in our community.
• The Gang Crimes Team will partner with the VPP staff and participate in pop-up community resource events designed to bring resources to our community following violent incidents.
• Detectives will collaborate with the District Attorney’s Office Victim Advocates to provide safety resources to victims of violent gang crimes who may be receiving threats for their cooperation in the criminal proceedings.
GANG VIOLENCE IN SANT A ROSA
• 5 out of the 10 homicides that occurred in 2023 have a gang connection to them.
Gang detectives are focused on bringing closure to the families impacted by this gang violence.
• We have seen a significant increase in juvenile access to illegal firearms. In 2023, 21 juveniles were arrested in possession of an illegal firearm compared to 5 juvenile firearm arrests in 2022.
• 2 juveniles were shot and killed in gang violence this summer.
FIREARMS SEIZED AND SCHOOL SAFETY
• SRPD has recovered 255 illegally possessed firearms in 2023, compared to a department record of 251 illegal firearms seized in 2022. • The Gang Crimes Team will work closely with our local school districts, and any officers assigned to school safety, to address gang violence on local school campuses and prevent gang violence from occurring on the campuses with early intervention and resources.
HELPING YOUTH AVOID GANGS
• The Gang Crimes Team will have a measurable impact on crime in Santa Rosa and will result in more youth being deterred from joining gangs in the first place. • This team will also help youth involved in gangs find a path to leaving the gang lifestyle behind.
• Our detectives work to build relationships with impacted youth and their families and help connect them to community resources.
Questions?