VGIA - VIRGINIA GANG INVESTIGATOR'S ASSOCIATION

Custom VGIA Google Search Engine

WELCOME TO THE NEW V.G.I.A. WEBSITE. THE UPCOMING 12th ANNUAL 2010 VGIA GANG CONFERENCE IS OCTOBER 19-22, 2010. PLEASE VISIT THE CONFERENCE PAGE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS.

- VGIA Public Gang Awareness and Information -

Parents, Teachers, Community Leaders, Religous Organizations, Social Workers, Students, Community Members, and VGIA Associate Members, we invite you to visit the VGIA Public Gang Awareness and Information Page to learn additional information about gang awareness and gang activities throughout Virginia.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Virginia Gang Investigators Association or VGIA. The VGIA was established in 1997 by a group of law enforcement professionals who recognized the importance of having a gang based information sharing network narrowly but intensely focused on responding to the proliferation of street gangs in Virginia. Like other states along the East Coast, a phenomenon also exists in Virginia where well-established criminal street gangs hailing from the West Coast, Mid West, and South West have recently and increasingly joined the population of our existing gangs, bringing the potential of further criminal networking to a new and more threatening level. VGIA will remain committed to bridging the lines of communication between all aspects of law enforcement and providing the most current and reliable information to our membership. In recognizing that any association is only as strong as its membership, VGIA pledges to put its membership first as well, with each and every member held at the highest regard. It is a strong belief of this association that we collectively have an equal voice as we unite in this endeavor to combat against the advancement of street gangs in our communities and the state of Virginia.

Respectfully,
Randy Crank
President, VGIA

In response to the ever increasing gang problem plaguing our nation and state, concerned criminal justice professionals from Virginia began what is today the Virginia Gang Investigators Association.

Chartered February 1997, The V.G.I.A. is a non -profit organization made up of law enforcement officers and other members of the criminal justice community. The V.G.I.A. promotes a closely coordinated relationship among gang investigators through extensive and rapid dissemination and exchange of information about gang-related, cult and extremist group activity. The V.G.I.A. supports new techniques from identification and apprehension of gang members and encourages legislation related to the reduction of gang related crimes. Additionally; the V.G.I.A solicits public support of its goals so the citizens might be educated about the prevention regarding organized criminal activities, tactics, philosophies, etc., to its members and any other law enforcement agency upon request.

Hanging Or Banging At The Mall?:

(3/11/2010) never thought I’d be old enough to say, “The kids these days are out of control.” Oh well, here I am complaining. Please pass the Tums while you’re at it. When I was young, way back in the early 90s, my friends and I hung out at the mall. There were arcade games, the latest basketball shoes and of course, girls. But now there seems to be other reasons kids are gravitating toward malls, to hang with their crew.

>> Read More

Lawmakers try to crack down on growing gang violence:

(3/3/2010) ANNAPOLIS — Maryland lawmakers are trying to crack down on growing gang violence with a slew of bills that would make it easier for officials to identify and prosecute known gang members.

>> Read More

Dump Squad Gang Member Sentenced to Life for Murder :

(3/2/2010) NEWPORT NEWS, VA—Martin Manley, 22, of Newport News, Va., was sentenced today to life in prison for murdering Tony Vaughan outside the Atmosphere Club in Hampton, Va., on Dec. 24, 2007.

>> Read More

Prison gang codes: Looking beyond the graffiti:

(2/3/2010) Officers working in a Virginia correctional facility found fifteen pages of an encoded document. One of the pages contained the picture below Because the picture had notes indicating 166th Street, Bronx, NY, the material was forwarded to the New York City Police Department (NYPD). They sent it to me. As you look at the picture you may also see what appears to be “cross hair sights” and bullet holes.

Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs & Juggalo's

Event Date: [4/23/2010]

Location:Chesterfield County Training Academy

With the increase of Outlaw Motorcycle Gang activity throughout Virginia, the Virginia Gang Investigators Association will present training on current gang laws, the history of outlaw motorcycle gangs, outlaw motorcycle gang identifiers, overview of the Hells Angles, Mongols, Outlaws and outlaw motorcycle gangs in Virginia. Juggalo’s With the increase violence of the Juggalo’s the Virginia Gang Investigators Association will present training on the Juggalo’s and the violence that has been connected with this group and their music.