NCJ Number
192469
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 25 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2001 Pages: 48-51
Date Published
2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article examines the changing nature of street gangs in the rural areas of the Midwest.
Abstract
One of the most intractable problems in the United States is street gangs. Detective Traci Kaltenbach of the Dodge City, Kansas Police Department and Sergeant Tim McClure of the Ford County, Kansas, Kansas Sheriff’s Department shared their thoughts on street gangs in Kansas. Gangs have played a major role in this part of rural America. Southwest Kansas has a high transient population that moves between three of the largest cities due to the beef processing industry; Dodge City, Garden City and Liberal have high numbers of gang members. The gangs in these areas are primarily Latino gangs with a West Coast gang culture influence. Two symbols used by gang members in these areas are Sureno-13 and Norteno-14. Sureno-13 is affiliated with Master Criminal Boys (MCB), which is active in several cities. These gangs are involved in homicides, assaults, batteries and drug offenses. In these cities, local law enforcement has a difficult time dealing with these gangs. Law enforcement is unable to maintain manpower at full strength. Due to this issue, no agency in these two jurisdictions has a full-time gang unit. Both Garden and Dodge City have gang units by having selected officers work extra shifts. Gang units usually have team members from several agencies. In Dodge City, for example, the gang unit consists of officers from the Dodge City Police Department, Ford County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol. Members from each of these agencies attend joint meetings so information can be shared in current investigations. Kansas gang officers have followed the lead of many States and formed the Kansas Gang Investigators Association (KGIA). This association helps organize gang investigator contacts, training, and information sharing.