One Sheriff’s Lieutenant commanded, two sheriff’s sergeants who supervised a six person uniformed team and a six-person plain-clothes team of gang enforcement detectives. The mission to eradicate criminal gang activity was supported by a four prong approach consisting of prosecution, enforcement, education, & prevention (P.E.E.P.)   

P.E.E.P. ultimately became a resourceful guide in accommodating the public’s needs and law enforcement’s ability to navigate through common and uncommon challenges.  

CRASH sought and received a grant titled C.R.R.U.S.H. (Combined rural resources undermining street hoodlums). The grant provided three additional deputy sheriffs, two Fresno County Probation Officers, a deputy district attorney juvenile prosecutor and investigator to the team. The juvenile prosecutor would aid in streamlining the vertical prosecution goal. One deputy was assigned to teach the G.R.E.A.T. (Gang resistance education and training) curriculum in specific school districts with gang affiliated students on probation. The unit collectively identified the communities needs and priorities and went to work.

A CRASH detective was assigned to the FBI’s fugitive apprehension team and a narcotic dog was added to the team.
The dedicated team of CRASH completely overhauled their gang tracking system to meet all future legal challenges associated to such enforcement. The departments proactive advances were recognized, which ultimately entitled the Fresno Sheriff’s Department to be selected as an administrative node for “Cal Gang”, a statewide database, developed exclusively for gangs. Today this system is being developed into a nationwide gang database titled Gang Net.

Current, statewide gang training was provided to enforcement members. A statewide networking base was also emphasized and established.

The Fresno County jail classification staff networked closely with CRASH. They had the immediate 7 day, 24 hour ability, to identify, and document gang members via their gang validation tracking inquiry. Their current and extensive historical knowledge of gang members & gang activity became a major investment in combating the criminal element. To date they have distinguished themselves as a primary resource on many gang investigations.

The sharing of information was an established priority for the sheriff’s department. Therefore the CRASH team attended local & state gang meetings. This corroboration with allied agencies increased critical information flow. CRASH team members were called by allied agencies to share the CRASH concepts, and standards, and to conduct gang presentations. The development of CRASH, and the organizational protocol became a supplementing model for new gang task forces.

As a compliment to this networking priority, a local gang information bulletin (G.I.B.) was created and provided internally for the benefit of our field staff and all department members. The G.I.B. ultimately became a gang information resource for neighboring law enforcement counties, the California Department of Corrections and federal enforcement agencies. To date this bulletin is mailed nationwide to over 300 peace officers and agencies.

MAGEC,

Multi Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium.

In 1996, former Sheriff, Steve Magarian chaired a meeting, inviting District Attorney Ed Hunt, all Fresno county police chiefs, supervising law enforcement agents from the California Highway Patrol, Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, State Parole, Fresno County Probation supervisors, the California Department of Corrections and the Immigration & Naturalization Service. Sheriff Magarian proposed this meeting with a recommendation and plan to establish one unique law enforcement body to expand our war against criminal gang activity. Endorsements were received and planning commenced for the task force.

Committees were developed to work out resources, communications, staffing and various related logistics. A Chief Deputy District Attorney initially was selected as a neutral body to command MAGEC. A governing board, consisting of department heads, established policy and direction. It was determined that all CRASH personnel would be absorbed into MAGEC.

In November of 1997, the newly formed cooperative, MAGEC, was formally endorsed and honored by California State Governor Pete Wilson. On December 1, 1997 MAGEC went into operation with thirty law enforcement agencies coming together, the largest long-term consolidation in law enforcement history.

MAGEC was structured with a vertical prosecution team lead by a Senior Deputy District Attorney, a metropolitan team commanded by a Fresno Police Lieutenant, and a rural team commanded by a Fresno Sheriff’s Lieutenant. Each team would have a mix of participating agency personnel.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s department and the Fresno Police department contributed the largest number of personnel. An office site for MAGEC personnel was chosen in metropolitan Fresno.

The creation of MAGEC immediately created greater cooperation & networking among the participating agencies. The Forensic Laboratory of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department agreed to receive, analyze, and maintain custody of all controlled substances seized and submitted by members of MAGEC. This afforded members of MAGEC the ability to receive an official analysis of their evidence within one working day, or less. MAGEC personnel also received orientation training for the integrated ballistics identification system (IBIS). The database provides an evidentiary analysis of casings and bullets collected during investigations and comparison options associated to existing and unidentified evidence data.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department manages all four county detention facilities. Prior policy of the Sheriff’s department was to charge agencies booking fee’s for each arrest booked into the jail. Because of the imposed fees many agencies in Fresno County adopted an arrest policy dictating the issuance of citations for misdemeanor suspects in the field, in lieu of physical detention, when appropriate. Seeing how this may impede the increased enforcement tactics instituted by MAGEC, the Sheriff’s Department agreed to wave booking fees on all arrests by MAGEC team members.

MAGEC applied for and received a 3-year federal grant titled EPPIC (Enforcement prevention, prosecution, intervention, & counseling) Two-deputy sheriff’s and two juvenile probation officers are assigned to gang prosecution & enforcement. One deputy sheriff is in charge of gang resistance & education within designated schools. One Deputy District Attorney for prosecution and one Deputy District Attorney Investigator compliment this enforcement body. The California School of Professional Psychology supports the EPPIC body by providing counseling and guidance for at risk, gang involved, youth.  A Fresno County Sheriff’s Community Services Officer is in charge of a mentoring program established in providing mentors, for support services. The CSO is also in charge of an anti graffiti program for designated cities.

In June of 1999, California Highway Patrol Captain, Cal Minor assumed the command position of MAGEC. The respected agency delivered a vast level of experience and provided a new channel of reputable training resources. This complimented and increased the successful momentum of MAGEC throughout California. The men & women of MAGEC believe that the multi-agency & multi-level approach to combat gang crime is the most comprehensive and effective method in existence. The reduction of gang crime is evident throughout Fresno County.