ABOUT US
Since 1997, the number of gangs in Riverside County has grown from 266 to 391. The total gang membership has grown to an astounding 10,620 members countywide. During this same time frame, there was a significant increase in gang related crimes reported by Riverside County law enforcement agencies.
In response to this alarming trend, law enforcement officials throughout Riverside County developed a countywide regional strategy for combating the increased gang activity occurring in our communities. The strategy is to combine resources from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to create eight (8) separate gang task force units across Riverside County. The strategy involves a three-prong approach involving prevention, intervention and suppression. The eight regions are supported by four crime analysts and eight office assistants.
Regional oversight and coordination of gang task force regions is accomplished by a two-tiered approach. Overall policy, resource allocation, and the coordination of each of the task force units is done through an overall governing board comprised of law enforcement department heads countywide. Local control of each task force unit is done through a regional board made up of supervisors and managers from those local agencies.
OUR MISSIONThe Riverside County Gang Task Force is committed to creating safe and secure neighborhoods free of violent crime and gang activity. This is done through a collaborative effort combining peace officers, probation officers, parole agents, federal agents, and prosecutors whose common objective is to provide targeted intelligence gathering, enforcement, investigation and vigorous prosecution of gang members engaged in criminal activity. The Riverside County Gang Task Force also collaborates with school districts, community organizations, and the District Attorney’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program in providing education, intervention and prevention support.
GOALS
- To eliminate violent gang crime within our communities through aggressive enforcement, intelligence gathering and investigation
- To vigorously and effectively prosecute gang members charged with illegal conduct
- To prevent local youth gangs from becoming criminal enterprises
- To enhance the communication of gang intelligence information between all participating agencies