Third Generation Street Gangs

In an article published in the November 1997 issue of Crime and Justice International, John P. Sullivan describes the emerging phenomenon of the third generation street gang as a mercenary-type group with goals of power or financial acquisition and a set of fully evolved political aims. This is in contrast with the second generation street gangs who are described as more entrepreneurial, drug-centered gangs and the first generation which operate under loose leadership with ill-defined roles and a focus on loyalty and turf protection.

While, as pointed out in the article, most street gangs are either first or second generation gangs which do employ limited quasi-terrorism, they do not reach the same level of terrorism attained by these third generation gangs. These essentially paramilitary groups embracing terrorism or terrorism for hire first appeared in Chicago. In addition to terrorism, other tendencies evidenced by third generation gangs are politicization, internationalization, and sophistication. Some of these third generation gangs have sought to carry out terrorist activities for hire on behalf of Libya, and have engaged in drug trafficking activities across large areas of the U. S. Some, particularly those in southern California, operate across the border into Mexico and as far away as Nicaragua, San Salvador, El Salvador, and Belize. For further information on this subject, contact John P. Sullivan at 213, 980-2290. (Excerpted from Crime and Justice International, November 1997.)

Information Exchange

Serious Crime on Washington Metro Declines 19.6 Percent. In a report on crime by WMATA Chief of Police Barry J. McDevitt, serious crime on the system dropped 19.6 percent dropped during the first nine months of 1997 compared with the same period in 1996. Robberies, mostly pick-pocket incidents, which are a continuing concern in the subway, dropped by 24 percent to 176 incidents. Motor vehicle thefts from Metro parking lots, another major concern, dropped nearly 12 percent to 172 incidents. Chief McDevitt's crime report, part of a Metro safety survey which also included injuries on escalators, was presented on October 30 to WMATA's safety committee. The incidents of escalator injury have remained fairly constant with those in the previous fiscal year.

An Increase in Subway Crime in New York Is Leading to Calls for More Police. While crime city-wide continues to drop, there has been an increase in subway muggings and pick-pocketing recently causing some subway advocates and transit police supervisors to question whether more officers and detectives should be assigned to the subway system. Although felonies committed in the subway are still almost 70 percent lower than in 1990, recent figures show that, since the beginning of the year, crime is up more than 14 percent in the subways. During the last four months, compared with the same four months last year, thefts rose 79 percent while there was a 44 percent in-crease in assaults and a 38 percent increase in robberies. There have also been four slayings on the subways in 1997 compared with three during the same period in 1996. In October, Police Commissioner Howard Safir assigned 300 additional officers to the subways, bringing the total to 2,500. (Excerpted from the New York Times, November 22, 1997.)

UN General Assembly Adopts International Convention for Suppression of Terrorist Bombings. On December 12, the United Nations General Assembly, with no dissent, adopted the Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings. The General Assembly urged all states to become parties to it. The Convention (Resolution No. A/RES/52/164) is open for signature from January 12, 1998, through December 31, 1999. It be-comes effective 30 days after being signed by the 22nd member nation. In an acknowledgment of recent trends, infrastructure attacks and transit terrorism are explicitly addressed. The economic dimension of attacks is also addressed. The Convention defines a terrorist bomber as a person who unlawfully and intentionally delivers, places, discharges, or detonates a bomb or similar device in or against a place of public use, a state or government facility, a public transportation system, or an infrastructure facility with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury or the destruction of such property resulting in major economic loss. (For additional information, see General Assembly press release GA/9382 on the Internet at http.//www.un.org.)

Noteworthy Events

First Responder Training Workshop. A 2-day First Responder Training Workshop on Public Transportation Chemical, Bio-logical, and Nuclear Incidents was held November 19-20, 1997, at the Presidio in San Francisco. This workshop was an out-growth of the Transportation System Vulnerability Assessment Program of the U. S. Department of Transportation Research and Special Programs Administration and the Office of Intelligence and Security. As terrorism becomes an increasingly possible threat, first responders must be prepared to act quickly, safely, and with maximum efficiency to mitigate the impact of such incidents. The goal of this program is not only to better understand the vulnerability of transportation systems and recommend solutions, but also to better prepare the Department of Transportation, transportation systems, and the nation as a whole to identify and respond to threats and actual incidents. For further information call Eve Rutyna at 617, 494-3447

Announcements

Transportation Safety Institute Appoints New Transit Division Manager. Cheryl A. Ogren reported for duty as Manager of the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) Transit Division on September 29, 1997. She was formerly Transportation Director for the Municipal Transit Administration at Clinton, Iowa. For further information on TSI and the Transit Division training opportunities (listed under Training in this newsletter), call 405, 954-3682.

Chief Esserman Named to IACP Chairmanship. Dean Esserman, Chief of Police for MTA Metro-North Railroad has been elected Chairperson of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Transit Policing Section. As his first initiative in this capacity, Chief Esserman wants to reach out to the APTA Police Security Committee regarding the feasibility of having a joint meeting of the IACP Transit Policing Section and the APTA Police Security Committee in 1998. If you have any opinions or ideas regarding such a meeting, Chief Esserman can be reached at 212, 340-2720, FAX: 347-2020.

Reports

Defending Subways Against Chem-Bio Terrorism, William A. Swansiger, December 1997, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California, Sandia Report SAND98-8210. For further information or to obtain a copy, call Mr. Swansiger at 510, 297-2496.

Meetings

3/3-6 '98 Security Show, Tokyo Japan, (81 3 3263 6881)

4/7-9 International Land Transportation Security Technology Conference, Atlanta, GA, National Institute of Justice/ Department of Transportation (202, 305-4638)

6/7-11 American Public Transit Association Rapid Transit Conference, San Diego, CA (202, 898-4085)

10/4-8 American Public Transit Association Annual Conference, New York, NY (202, 898-4038/49)

Training

1/12-16 Intermediate Information Operations/Warfare (Secret Clearance), Washington, DC, National Defense University, Institute for National Strategic Studies (202, 685-2209)

2/12-13 Senior Information Warfare (Top Secret Clearance), Washington, DC, National Defense University, Institute for National Strategic Studies (202, 685-2209)

3/9-13 Intermediate Information Operations/Warfare (Secret Clearance), Washington, DC, National Defense University, Institute for National Strategic Studies (202, 685-2209)

3/23-27 Transit System Security, Pompano Beach, FL, Federal Transit Administration/Transportation Safety Institute (405, 954-3682)

4/20-24 Transit System Security, Sacramento, CA, Federal Transit Administration/Transportation Safety Institute (405, 954-3682)

5/11-15 Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies, Denver, CO, Federal Transit Administration/Transportation Safety Institute (405, 954-3682)

6/2-3 The Changing National Security Environment: Discussions with Key Players and Policymakers, Washington, DC, The Brookings Institution (202, 797-6299)

7/13-17 Intermediate Information Operations/Warfare (Secret Clearance), Washington, DC, National Defense University, Institute for National Strategic Studies (202, 685-2209)

10/19-23 Intermediate Information Operations/Warfare (Secret Clearance), Washington, DC, National Defense University, Institute for National Strategic Studies (202, 685-2209) A complete listing of 1998 courses offered by the International Association of Chiefs of Police is attached.