DPS Supports Phoenix PD with Operation CRIPpled BLUES

On Friday, February 5, 2010, at 3:00 PM, Phoenix Police Department conducted a press conference to announce a gang suppression effort titled “Operation CRIPpled BLUES.” The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) provided resources and personnel from the Gang & Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (G.II.T.E.M) to support the Phoenix Police Department’s enforcement initiative. This joint agency project began in early 2009 when Phoenix PD’s South Mountain Precinct Enforcement Teams requested the assistance of G.II.T.E.M. to implement an organized gang conspiracy investigation to target violent crime, prostitution, illicit drug and gang related activity.

The operation was concentrated in one geographical location in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The following agencies participated in the operation; Phoenix Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Arizona Capital Police Department, Mesa Police Department and the Maricopa County Adult Probation Department.

Operation CRIPpled BLUES produced the following results from the week long enforcement efforts:

(Note: This is an ongoing enforcement project and the below totals are current as Friday, February 5, 2010.)

._____ Arrests ______________________________ 148

._____ Criminal Charges ______________________ 129

._____ Seizures:

.___________ Marijuana ______________________ 701 pounds

.___________ Heroin __________________________ 16 ounces

.___________ Cocaine (powder & crack) ___________ 8 ounces

.___________ Methamphetamine ________________ 16 ounces

.___________ Vehicles - Seized __________________ 3

.___________ Impounded ______________________ 16

.___________ Cash ___________________________ $4,291

.___________ Weapons _______________________ 11

._____ Driving Under the Influence ________________ 1

._____ Traffic Citations _________________________ 18

In addition to the numerous seizures of contraband materials and suspects arrested, Operation CRIPpled BLUES was also valuable in many other ways:

< It highlighted the effectiveness of law enforcement and communities working together to fight lawlessness and those individuals who want to make all of us victims of their criminal activities.

< It validated how the law enforcement strategy of partnering with other law enforcement agencies to address specific problems can be a cost effective methodology in a challenging economic environment.

< It also aided in the collection and sharing of valuable intelligence information regarding criminals and their activities so that future operations can be tailored to further disrupt the organized criminal activity and to deter its re-occurrence.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety is proud to have been a part in making Arizona communities a safer place for everyone. DPS is committed to continuing investigations and the allocation of personnel and resources to law enforcement entities across the state to suppress gang related criminal activity.

The Gang Enforcement Bureau of the Arizona Department of Public Safety is home to the Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM). GIITEM is a statewide multi-agency task force consisting of five districts that provide gang and illegal immigration enforcement and intelligence services:

*GIITEM strives to accomplish its mission through a task force concept involving personnel from tribal, federal, state, county and city law enforcement agencies. GIITEM efforts are structured to fit the needs of individual communities for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

*GIITEM trains criminal justice personnel regarding identification and interdiction of gangs and collects and disseminates gang and human smuggling intelligence to other law enforcement agencies, through a web based, state of the art system.

*GIITEM maintains a 1-888-NO-GANGS (1-888-664-2647) tip line, where callers can leave information anonymously.