Gang Task Forces (Central Valley)

This is a list of local law enforcement anti-gang task forces, charged mainly with suppression and enforcement efforts.  These task forces usually are housed within one law enforcement agency, but represent multi-jurisdictional collaborations.

Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force

An alliance of local, federal and state agencies that exchange intelligence and keep tabs on gang members on parole or probation. The primary goal of this task force is to gather criminal intelligence of gangs in order identify, disrupt, and ultimately dismantle violent street gangs that are plaguing our community.

Contact Information: Modesto Police Department - (209) 577-5200 - www.modestogov.com/mpd/crime/gangs

Fresno Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (M.A.G.E.C.)

Established in 1997, the Multi-County Gang Enforcement Consortium or M.A.G.E.C. is a coordinated law enforcement effort that maximizes Fresno County gang investigative, suppression, and prosecution expertise, targeting law enforcement resources to suppress the most violent criminal gang leaders. M.A.G.E.C. is made of three high-functioning teams: 1) Rural Investigative and Tactical Team covers all of Fresno County except City of Fresno and Clovis; 2) Metro Investigative and Tactical Team – covers City of Fresno and Clovis; and 3) Prosecution Team is responsible for vertical prosecution of all State of California level criminal cases initiated by or assisted by M.A.G.E.C. teams.

Contact Information: Fresno County Sheriff’s Department - (559) 488-3939 - www.fresnosheriff.org/Patrol/MAGEC

Kern County Sheriff’s Gang Suppression Section

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office Gang Suppression Section, (GSS), was formed in 1989 to address the growing gang violence and other related crime problems associated with Criminal Street Gangs.  The strategic plan calls for the gang suppression section to continue to increase the number of staff assigned to (35) total personnel by May 2009. The gang section will be comprised of three components. Two street enforcement teams along with an investigative / intelligence team. This staff increase is going to enable the sheriff office to have gang investigators on duty 7 days a week.  This planned expansion of Gang Suppression Section is just part of an over-all strategy to combat gang violence in Kern County.
 
Contact Information: Kern County Sheriff’s Department - (661) 391-7500 - www.kernsheriff.com

Kings County Gang Task Fource

The Kings County Gang Task Force was formed by local law enforcement in November of 1993. The mission statement for the Kings County Task Force is to gather intelligence, suppress gang activity, and prevent any and all gang related criminal activity. The unit is a high suppression unit that specializes in enforcement in high crime areas at times when law enforcement is needed most. The appearance of a highly visible unit has a tremendous effect on the local gang members and their criminal actions as they are constantly reminded of law enforcement's presence.

Contact Information: Kings County Sheriff’s Department - (559) 582-3211 ext. 2790 - www.countyofkings.com/sheriff

Madera County Gang Enforcement Task Force (MADGET)

MADGET was established under the direction of Madera County officials as gang violence in the Madera County area began to grow out of control. MADGET has been focusing its efforts toward the suppression, intervention, and prevention of violent crime and gangs. Use of this task force concept is intended to ensure well-coordinated violent crime and gang enforcement regionally and increase the flow of violent offender and gang related intelligence information between the various law enforcement agencies, including the Madera County Sheriff’s Department, Probation Department and District Attorney’s Office.

Contact Information: Madera County Sheriff’s Department - (559) 675-7770 - www.madera-county.com/sheriff

Merced Multi-Agency Gang Task Force

A countywide task force, launched in partnership with the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, to help law enforcement agencies coordinate intelligence gathering and enforcement actions against gang members.  It is comprised of officers from the Merced County Sheriff’s Department; Merced, Atwater, Los Banos and Livingston police departments; the county probation department; and, district attorney’s office.  The task force can assist any agency that calls for help, noting that it has tools and information at its disposal that local agencies might not have readily available.

Contact Information: Merced County Sheriff’s Department - (209) 385-7444 - www.co.merced.ca.us

Tulare County Gang Violence Suppression Unit and Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Team (MAGNET)

The Tulare County Gang Violence Suppression Unit (GVSU) was founded in 1995 with members formerly assigned to the Sheriff’s S.T.E.P. Unit (Sheriff’s Tactical Enforcement Personnel).  The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department GVSU has been recently expanded and consists of two dedicated Detective units managing both the north and south county areas.  With the assistance and cooperation of nearby agencies another unit called MAGNET was created in August 2006 by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department. The unit was created out of a need for a multi-agency unit not only to increase law enforcement personnel during details but to facilitate the exchange of anti-gang information through out the different local jurisdictions.

Contact Information: Tulare County Sheriff’s Department - (559) 735-1862 - www.co.tulare.ca.us/government/sheriff/end_gangs/tulare_county_gvsu

City of Visalia Multi-Agency Gang Task Force

In August, 2006, the Task Force came together to work in a focused collaborative effort to reduce gang participation and violence.  Five strategies key to a successful best practices model and utilized by the Task Force are: 1) community mobilization and involvement of local citizens; 2) suppression using formal and informal social control procedures; 3) organizational change and development and implementation of policies and procedures that result in the most effective of available, potential resources; 4) the development of a variety of specific education, training and employment programs targeting gang-involved youth; and 5) social intervention of youth-serving agencies to reach out to these youth.

Contact Information: Visalia Police Department, Special Enforcement Unit - (559) 713-4159 - www.ci.visalia.ca.us/depts/police_department