Criminal Gang and Homicide Division

Statistics have shown that approximately 70-80% of all homicides are gang related.  These homicides tear at the fabric of our community and destroy family units.  In an effort to reduce the incidence of violent gang crime and develop meaningful strategies to intervene and prevent gang disputes, the Criminal Gang/Homicide Division (CGHD) was formed.  The division is comprised of the following entities: Homicide Section (77th Street, Southwest, Southeast, and Unsolved), Special Enforcement Unit, Violent Crime Impact Team, and Administrative Staff Unit.  This concept emphasizes a full spectrum approach to gang-related violence, investigations, enforcement, and prevention. Additionally, CGHD works in partnership with a variety of law enforcement agencies to aggressively prosecute violent gang members and to reduce gang-related violence and fear.  The following is an overview of the various entities under CGHD:

Homicide Section
Unsolved Homicide Cases

Criminal Gang/ Homicide Division, Homicide Section is responsible for investigating homicides occurring in three areas within Operations-South Bureau (OSB); Southwest, Southeast and 77th Street Areas.  Thus far, CGHD is having a successful and productive year solving homicides, arresting and prosecuting those responsible and contributing to the effort to prevent retaliatory violence.  Due to a collaborative effort with our partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Operation Save our Streets Homicide Taskforce, CGHD has maintained an above average clearance rate and arrests statistics.

Special Enforcement Unit

At the end of 2010, the OSB-Gang Enforcement Detail was disbanded due to difficulties pertaining to the Department’s Financial Disclosure policy.  However, OSB formulated a new fighting tool and instituted the Special Enforcement Unit.  This new crime fighting element work directly with CGHD personnel and OSB Area’s to assist with their crime reduction strategies.  
The SEU deploys as close to real time as possible and their deployment is based upon the following:

• Current (real time) trends in gang crime and related incidents;
• Intelligence gathered from Area GED’s, CGHD, CAD, outside agencies and the community (i.e. interventionist);
• Fresh gang homicides investigated by the Homicide Section, CGHD; and,
• As directed by the Commanding Officer, Operations-South Bureau.
• Additionally, SEU is tasked with the service of search and arrest warrants for CGHD investigators, as well as some specialized detectives such as Robbery-Homicide Division.

Violent Crime Impact Team

Six CGHD personnel and a Detective II are assigned to the Violent Crime Impact Team (VCIT). The VCIT work in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents to target specific gangs in OSB.  The primary goal is to acquire federal indictments on the gang’s hierarchy and immobilize their criminal enterprise.

Administrative Staff Unit

The Administrative Staff Unit is comprised of an Adjutant, a Management Analyst, a Timekeeper, a Crime Analyst, a clerk Typist, a Training Coordinator, and an Intervention Liaison Officer.  Each perform their duties to ensure all administrative functions, correspondences, projects, complaints, timekeeping, and the day-to-day operations are conducted in an efficient and timely manner.