The itinerary was packed with speakers from around the country who offered unique perspectives on crime and criminal activity. “The best form of communication is community engagement, that’s what the ECGIA is all about,” according to Tony “Pac-man” Moreno, former head of LAPD’s gang unit (I was fortunate enough to attend this year and check out the conference on behalf of my department. It allows its members that range across the country to build relationships. Social media has made it easier than ever to communicate across the country, even over borders internationally, which is why conferences like these are so important. That’s just one example of a countless number of ways knowing people within the law enforcement community can help.Īnother important aspect to the gang lifestyle is their ability to organize and communicate.
He then reaches out to his buddy in the county correctional facility and asks if he knows anything about the names and terms and the correctional officer says, “Oh yeah, that’s the nickname of a high-ranking gang leader that’s been here awhile.” The officer jots down some of the key names and terms. During the search, he comes across handwritten literature that appears gang-related but nothing concrete or criminal. A patrol officer conducts a routine traffic stop and, subsequently, searches the vehicle under probable cause. Additionally, that is the most effective way to combat crime and criminal activity, by law enforcement working together across multiple platforms and from different directions. That is the main objective of the conference: building relationships. From there, they plan on maintaining contact to help each other. Without trying hard, I was able to connect Eddie Perez to a local police department official familiar with gang activity in central New Jersey.
Eddie Perez, president of the organization, told Blue Magazine, “We host conferences as a way for law enforcement personnel to network, discuss the gang climate, and compare notes that goes beyond the formal departmental route.” That’s why the East Coast Gang Investigator’s Association, or ECGIA, exists. At least that’s the running joke in this part of the country.īut if you’re a street cop, correctional officer or investigator, you know gangs are real and they pose a serious threat to our communities. Even chiefs and directors, who must balance politics with crime fighting, are heard echoing that same message. “We don’t have a gang problem here.” Says every local and state level politician throughout the New York/New Jersey metro area.
East Coast Gang Investigator’s Association Holds 20th Anniversary Conference in Atlantic City
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