NCJ Number
132942
Journal
State Peace Officers Journal Volume: 40 Issue: 2 Dated: (Summer 1991) Pages: 57-62,123-127
Date Published
1991
Length
11 pages
Annotation
These two stories describe "Operation Blue Rag," a major law enforcement effort undertaken in San Diego in late 1989 and early 1990 against hard-core violent street gang members. The undercover operation involved cooperation between police gang detectives, the district attorney's office, probation officers, and Federal agents and prosecutors.
Abstract
Operation Blue Rag focused on the city's black street gangs, while Operation Red Rag, implemented the following year, aimed at "Blood" or Piru gangs. They were both federally funded through the Urban Street Gang Drug Trafficking Enforcement Demonstration Project. The goal of both operations was to reduce violence in the community by sending dangerous gang members to prison on charges stemming from their involvement with cocaine. The use of an informant who tape recorded his drug transactions with gang members led to many confessions on the part of the arrestees. Operation task force members also investigated gang homicides and other major incidents that had occurred over the prior 2 years. The task force in Operation Red Rag had gained experience through the Blue Rag operation, the use of videotape, and a more potent State grand jury. An important component of these investigations consisted of field interview reports which had to include probable cause and gang components, the most critical of which was documentation criteria.