GangsAcrossAmerica.com is a website and intelligence group created by cops for cops and it is holding an intensive gang information-sharing conference on March 20th and 21st, 2008 in Las Vegas. This is the only conference that brings together the most respected and experienced gang experts from across America! This will be the most information-packed conference ever attended!
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Gangs Across America: Fighting Gangs through Proactive Strategies and Innovative Tactics.
View the current Conference agenda.
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The Instructors and Course Topics:
- Sgt Wes McBride, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept: Learning from Experience: Fighting Gangs for the last 25 years!
- Sgt Rich Valdemar, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept (ret): West Coast Gangs (Norteno, Sureno, Bloods, Crips,)
- Corr Spec. Gabe Morales, King County Jail (Seattle), WA and former Folsom Prison Officer: Fighting Prison Gangs
- Det Wes Daily, Deputy Director East Coast Gang Investigators Assn: Law Enforcement's Role in Gang Prevention
- Det Joe Sparks, Chicago PD Gang Unit (ret): Chicago and Midwest Gang Perspective (People/Folk gangs)
- Det. Hunter Glass, Fayetteville, NC PD: The New Gangster Threat: Gangs in the Military in our Streets
- Det Tony Avendorph, Prince Georges County (MD) PD: Exposing MS13: One of America’s Most Dangerous Gangs
- Sgt Lou Savelli, NYPD (ret) Creator of NYPD’s Gang Unit: Innovative Gang Interdiction and Investigation Tactics
- Det John Bottone, NYPD-Gang Unit (ret) Inv., US CG: Taking Down OG Mack: The Founder of the NY Bloods
- Det Tony Moreno ‘Pac-man’, LAPD (ret): Author of “Lessons from a Gang Cop”: Personal Strategies for Gang Cops
- Det Greg Bruner, Los Angeles Sheriffs Dept and Sgt Tony Mottola, NY: West Coast vs East Coast Graffiti
- Det Frank DiPaolo, LAPD (ret) Creator of tough gang prevention through the Juvenile Impact Program
When: March 20th & 21st, 2008
Where: Riviera Hotel & Casino*, Las Vegas, NV
Time: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Who Can Attend: Law Enforcement Only (Police, Corrections, Probation, Parole, Feds, etc...
Registration Fee: $250 p/person, includes all conference sessions, conference information-sharing reception, conference materials, & complimentary breakfasts.
* Registrants and their guests are eligible for discounted room rates at the Riviera Hotel subject to availability.
Speaker Profiles:
Det John Bottone, NYPD-Gang Unit (ret) Inv., US CG
Session: Taking Down OG Mack: The Founder of the NY Bloods
John Bottone became a NYC Police Officer in 1990. He spent 3 years working undercover in the Narcotics Division and afterwards was assigned to the Narcotics Major Case Squad, conducting wire tap investigations of drug cartels for 2 years. He was then assigned to the Intelligence Division where he performed Federal RICO investigations on violent gangs and provided dignitary protection. In 2002, he joined the Federal Air Marshal Service and was assigned to the NYFO. During this time he served as a Flying Fam, a JFK LE Liaison, a Foreign Air Marshal Program Coordinator, a JTTF Investigator assigned to the FBI NYO, and as an Acting Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge. In 2004, John joined the United States Attorney's office in the S.D.N.Y. as a Criminal Investigator, assigned to perform long term RICO investigations on violent gangs. In 2007, he joined the Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard Investigative Service as a Special Agent.
Det Wes Daily, SuffolkCounty (NY) Police Dept (ret): Deputy Director East Coast Gang Investigator’s Association
Session: Law Enforcement's Role in Gang Prevention
Det. Wes Daily Jr. served for 30 years with the Suffolk County Police Department before retiring in 2003. His extensive experience includes duty in narcotics, homicide and criminal intelligence; in the latter capacity he specialized in youth gangs. He is the Co-Founder and current Executive Director of the East Coast Gang Investigators Association, Inc., (ECGIA), the largest gang investigators’ association in the country. He has also been the Public Information Officer for the National Alliance of Gang Investigators, (1998-2000) and Past President of the National Alliance of Gang Investigator's Association, (2000-2002). He is a recognized specialist in the field of street gangs and through Wes Daily & Associates, Inc., provides consulting and training on prevention and intervention strategies for youth gangs and violence.
Sgt Wesley D. McBride, LA County Sheriff’s Department (ret); Executive Director, California Gang Investigator’s Association
Session: Learning from Experience: Fighting Gangs for the last 25 years
Wesley McBride served over 35 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department before retiring in 2002. He worked street gang investigations continuously from 1972 onwards, and at the time of his retirement was the Intelligence Sergeant for Safe Streets Bureau, Operations Safe Streets (OSS), the Sheriff's Department's gang detail. Sgt. McBride has lectured at the FBI National Academy, and has been a guest lecturer on street gangs at numerous colleges, universities, and at institutes including the California State Training Institute, Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). He is a recognized authority on street gangs, and has testified as an expert gang witness on the national perspective of gangs in Kansas and Texas. He is currently the Executive Director of the California Gang Investigators Association and is a Past President of the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Association. He is the co-author of a textbook ‘Understanding Street Gangs.’
Sgt Rich Valdemar, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (ret)
Session: West Coast Gangs (Norteno, Sureno, Bloods, Crips,)
Sgt Rich Valdemar retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in 2004. For most of his 33 years with the LASD he was involved in combating gangs, and for the last 20 years he was assigned to the Detective Division, Major Crimes Bureau. He also served for more than 10 years on the Federal Metropolitan Gang Task Force, cross designated as an FBI agent, and for 20 years served as a member of the California (Prison) Gang Task Force. Sgt. Valdemar has worked undercover infiltrating gangs, and was the ‘gang expert’ in the RICO prosecution of the Mexican Mafia in 1995 and 1999. He has been a regular trainer for countless law enforcement agencies as well as a consultant and contributor to several books and periodicals. He is a character in the novel The Murder Children by John Ball, and a quoted consultant in Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo's current book, In Mortal Danger. He is currently working on books about the early days of the OSS gang unit, terrorism, police gang training, and several motion picture projects.
Corr Spec. Gabe Morales, King County Jail (Seattle) (ret); Former President of the International Latino Gang Investigator’s Assn
Session: Fighting Prison Gangs
Inv. Gabe Morales worked at Folsom State prison for six years as a Corrections Officer and worked with youth in Los Angeles group homes and gang members on probation. At the King County Jail in Seattle, WA he worked for approximately 15 years in the Classification Section, where he specialized in Security Threat Groups and became a recognized expert on the subject. He is the lead instructor on gangs at the WA State Academy for police and correctional officers and is currently Vice President of the International Latino Gang Investigators Association. Gabe Morales is a frequent lecturer and a published writer: in addition to many articles, he is author of the book entitled ‘Varrio Warfare: Violence in the Latino Community’. He was recently appointed to the WA Gang Study Group by politicians in Olympia, WA.
Det Joe Sparks, Chicago Police Department Gang Unit (ret)
Session: Chicago and Midwest Gang Perspective (People/Folk gangs)
Det Joe Sparks is a recently retired member of the Chicago Police Department. He spent 27 of his 33 years in police work in the department’s famed Gang Unit, and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most knowledgeable and experienced gang investigators. He is a frequent lecturer and trainer for police agencies and gang investigator's associations in the US and Canada. He has conducted highly successful investigations against gangs such as the Latin Kings, Gangster Disciples, Maniac Latin Disciples, Vice Lords, and many other Chicago-based gangs. Det Sparks personally investigated and arrested Maniac Latin Disciple leader Jose Padilla who became the notorious Al Qaeda terrorist labeled ‘The Dirty Bomber’. He is credited with predicting current trends in gang migration and gang-related crime, and has been a consultant and writer on proactive strategies for fighting gangs.
Det Tony Avendorph, Prince Georges County (MD) Police Department; Former Chairman of the Mid Atlantic Regional Gang Investigator’s Network
Session: Exposing MS13: One of America’s Most Dangerous Gangs
Det. Tony Avendorph has been in law enforcement for 39 years, serving with the Illinois Department of Corrections, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department (MD). He was one of the original Community Policing Officers in 1991, and has worked in the Training and Education division and the Narcotics Enforcement Division (Intelligence); he is currently assigned to the Gang Unit working national and local street gangs and organized crime. Det. Avendorph is a national trainer and speaker on street gangs and organized crime, defensive tactics, interview techniques for gang members, and community policing. He is a Founder and the former Chairman of the Mid Atlantic Regional Gang Investigator’s Network (MARGIN), and former Vice President of NAGIA (National Alliance of Gang Investigator’s Association).
Det. Hunter Glass, Fayetteville (NC) Police Department
Session: The New Gangster Threat: Gangs in the Military in our Streets
Det. Hunter Glass is the nation’s foremost expert on the phenomenon of gangs in the military. He has been investigating gangs in the military for over a decade and a half. He is retired US Army soldier and member of the 82d Airborne Division and recently retired Fayetteville, NC Gang Detective. He is the coauthor of a soon to be released book called Gangster Soldiers: A New Threat Invading the Streets of America.
Det Frank DiPaolo, LAPD (ret)
Session: Juvenile Impact Program
Frank DiPaola has been the Juvenile Justice Coordinator for the Monterey County Sheriff's Department; and the Juvenile Justice Liaison to California Governor Pete Wilson of California. Prior to that he was a detective of 23 years with the Los Angeles Police Department where he founded the Juvenile Impact youth diversion and gang intervention program.
Sgt Lou Savelli, NYPD (ret)
Session: Innovative Gang Interdiction and Investigation Tactics
Sgt Lou Savelli retired from NYPD with 25 years in law enforcement. He created NYPD's first citywide gang unit, CAGE (Citywide Anti Gang Enforcement), which was awarded the National Gang Crime Research Center's Award for The Most Successful Gang Unit in the US. Sgt. Savelli has had outstanding success in enforcement and investigation of some of the most violent street gangs, drug gangs, and organized crime gangs in America, including the NY Latin Kings, Crips, Bloods, Cali Colombia Cartel, and NY's Five Mafia Families. He has worked undercover amidst gangs and was the victim of a 'greenlight' (murder contract) by the gangs he fought. His books include ‘Gangs Across America and their Symbols’ and ‘The Pocketguide to Graffiti’. His new book, soon to be released, is ‘The Gang Investigation Manual’. He lectures on gang and criminal investigation tactics to thousands of US and international law enforcement professionals each year.
Det Tony Moreno ‘Pac-man’, LAPD (ret)
Session: Personal Strategies for Gang Cops
Det. Tony Moreno served as a highly decorated member of LAPD for 31 years, and was awarded its Police Star for bravery as well as its Meritorious Unit Citation. His assignments included patrol, special problems unit, gang car, gang detail, school car, juvenile investigations, organized crime and intelligence, narcotics, homicide, CRASH, career criminal unit, gang field unit. From 1982-86 he drove a yellow Plymouth Fury police vehicle while assigned to the Department's Gang Detail and was nicknamed "Pacman" by the gang members in South/Central Los Angeles. His nickname and police vehicle were later used in the story line of the gang movie "Colors". He is the author of "Lessons from a Gang Cop" and has conducted training and /or acted as the keynote speaker in over 100 major law enforcement and gang conferences and seminars throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. He is a co-founder of "Gang Cop.com" which provides gang suppression, prevention and intervention strategies.
Tony Mottola, Police Supervisor, Major Metropolitan Police Agency
Session: East Coast vs West Coast Graffiti (co presented with Greg Bruner)
Sgt. Anthony Mottola is a charge of the Gang Intelligence Unit for a large metropolitan police department in the northeast region of the United States. He is one of the nation’s leading experts on graffiti and has personally training thousands of law enforcement officers on graffiti identification, interdiction, deciphering and investigation. He is currently involved in several proactive gang intelligence, interdiction and RICO investigations involving violent, nationally and internationally affiliated, street gangs. Sgt. Mottola is the co-author of the newly released handbook “Pocketguide to Graffiti.” He is a frequent lecturer for the East Coast Gang Investigators Association (ECGIA), Mid Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Network (MAGLOCLEN) and many other law enforcement associations and networks.
Deputy Greg Bruner, Los Angeles Sheriffs Department
Session: East Coast vs West Coast Graffiti (co-presented with Tony Mottola)
Greg Bruner is a 17 year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He is currently assigned as Detective investigating graffiti cases. As a detective his duties include the identification of both the graffiti and the arrests of the subject’s responsible for the vandalism. He has received extensive training in the field of graffiti and its subcultures. He has been recognized as an expert in graffiti in the Los Angeles Superior Court system.