Safe Streets Task Force - Weed and Seed program in Indianapolis, Indiana

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,The, March, 2001 by David M. Allender

Cooperation Gets Results

"Working together works" represents a favorite adage of an Indianapolis, Indiana, community leader [1] in the city's federally funded Weed and Seed [2] effort. In the spirit of the statement, many agencies with a wide spectrum of responsibilities have cooperated to successfully renovate several inner-city neighborhoods. One partnership strengthened by interacting as members of Weed and Seed is the Safe Streets Task Force. Formed by the FBI in 1992 to combat gangs and violence, the initiative, comprised of state and local law enforcement officers and FBI agents, operates in many cities throughout the United States. [3]

The investigation into a violent criminal street gang known as the New Breed illustrates how the cooperative efforts of the Safe Streets Task Force concept can get results. Operating in such cities as Indianapolis, Chicago, Atlanta, Louisville, and Cincinnati, the gang was involved in a wide range of criminal activity. [4] Task force officers in Indianapolis opened their case in mid-1997. Safe Streets units taking an active part in the case included the FBI Indianapolis office and the Metro Gang Task Force (MGTF), comprised of Indianapolis Police Department (IPD) officers.

Gang History and Rules

The New Breed gang started within the confines of the Illinois prison system. To illustrate contempt for the existing gang subculture, the founder of New Breed reportedly encouraged members to violate many conventions of the gang world. Leaders indoctrinated gang members in the belief that the income derived from criminal activity constituted the main purpose for the organization. The largest source of profit for the gang came from the illegal distribution of narcotics, most notably heroin.

To promote fidelity to the gang, as well as establish a foundation for order and control, leaders borrowed from the rules and guidelines established by the Black Gangster Nation (BGN) gang. Task force officers recovered copies of the gang's rules and history or "bible" from the trunk of the local leader's vehicle. The document instructed adherents to commit to the three "Ls" of Love, Life, and Loyalty. A code of conduct set out a number of rules to live by, such as restricting gang members from incurring financial debts they could not repay in a timely manner. The history identified the "Don" as the ultimate authority figure in all matters, traced the basis for his power back to the time of Hannibal, and identified Hannibal's "first born son, by a Sicilian woman as the original leader of the order. The story then rambled, but left the reader with the impression that the gang had functioned in an unbroken line for over 1,000 years. The closing gave gang members strong suggestions on how to live successful an d productive lives.

The gang document had a more ominous side, however, when it entered the realm of discipline. All members of the organization had to sign an 11-point oath of allegiance to the New Breed. For example, one rule stated, "We don't lie, steal or cheat among us. Our word is our bond. We die for that.. .." [5] Punishment for any transgression was "unforgivable, penalty is FINAL" Task force officers discovered during the investigation what the "FINAL" judgment entailed and how strongly individual New Breed members believed in their code.

The paperwork gave investigators valuable insight into the mindset of the New Breed. They had pondered why a group of African-American gang leaders preferred nicknames, such as Velle, Vino, Frank Nitti, Gotti, and Capone. Detectives discovered the answer when they read that the gang traced its lineage back to Sicily. In addition, the writings spelled out the rank and authority of the Don. This tidbit of information, when added to other facts, enabled detectives to determine that Vino was in charge of the local operation and enjoyed considerable power and authority. Also, the law section of the gang's document revealed the motive for some of the violence investigators encountered. All in all, the document helped provide a focus for how to attack the organization.

Preliminary Steps

In order to establish an identity in Indianapolis, New Breed gang members engaged in activities that would lead to a citation for a traffic infraction or a custodial misdemeanor arrest. When taken into custody, the suspects presented an Indiana drivers license as identification. When officers checked the authenticity of the license, they would discover that the information supplied was accurate and the license valid. Task force detectives subsequently determined that the name listed on the license presented by a New Breed member often would be an alias. The detectives found that some Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) personnel were issuing fraudulent driving licenses. The detectives worked with the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the FBI's Chicago office to establish the real identity of several gang members. CPD examiners compared fingerprints of persons arrested in Indianapolis with prints they had on file. Detectives from Chicago assisted by viewing photographs and providing print examiners with names of possible suspects to shorten the process. Because of this effort, officers discovered that a number of persons had arrest warrants, including one for murder, on file in Chicago and apprehended these individuals. Officers also alerted BMV to the problem. BMV used internal audit and control methods to halt the issuance of the bogus licenses and terminated those employees involved.