Gang Crimes

Captain David O'Leary

In 1984, the Gang Diversion Unit was formed to combat the growing gang activity and their involvement in drug sales, a problem then primarily on the west side of Las Vegas. The unit was instrumental in identifying the makeup and characteristics of the various gangs and used that information to educate other officers. The Gang Diversion Unit is now known as the Gang Crimes Bureau and is part of the LVMPD's Special Operations Division. Capt. Kirk Primas commands the Gang Crimes Bureau.

The Gang Crimes Bureau investigates or assists in investigating all crimes that are in any way related to gang criminal activity, including graffiti and Race, Religion and Ethnicity hate crimes.

The Gang Crimes Bureau participates in the Southern Nevada Community Gang Task Force and supports 4 additional Federal Task Forces which are individually sponsored by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Marshals Service.

The Gang Crimes Bureau is divided into Enforcement, Investigative, Task Forces, Graffiti and Intelligence squads. Investigative and Enforcement squads cover all seven days of the week, primarily working swing shift.

The Gang Crimes Bureau also operates the Metro Area Gang Intelligence Center known as M.A.G.I.C. It is the central focal point for all gang related crime information, gang criminal intelligence and gang suspect identification.

The Gang Crimes Bureau can be reached at 828-3309