The Santa Ana Police Department's Gangs Section is comprised of experienced detectives dedicated to preventing and suppressing gang activity throughout the city.
The Gang Section has developed a departmental gang strategy that incorporates a multidimensional approach using the interactive components of:
- Enforcement
- Suppression
- Prevention
- Intelligence Gathering
- Reintegration
Members of the Gang Unit, known as the S.T.O.P. Team (Street Terrorist Offender Project), focus their attention on the suppression of illegal gang activities through aggressive street-level enforcement, intelligence gathering, aggressive prosecution, and the development of gang expertise.
The Santa Ana Police Department's Gang Unit is part of a Tri-Agency Resource / Gang Enforcement Team (T.A.R.G.E.T.) that is compromised of Santa Ana Police Detectives, Orange County Gang Probation Officers, and prosecutors from the Orange County District Attorney's Office. The TARGET concept is a highly specialized team approach focusing on the most hardcore, violent, repeat gang offenders.
How to tell if your child is in a gang, “A Parent Quick Reference Guide”
One of the most effective means of curbing gang violence is to keep potential gang recruits from joining a gang in the first place. For information on how to discourage children from joining gangs click here.
If you have information to report regarding gang activity, call (714) 245-8648.