Arizona gang crackdown nets 483 arrests

A coalition of Arizona law enforcement agencies announced the arrests Friday of 483 suspected gang members linked to various crimes statewide.

“They’re like weeds in your garden,” said Roger Vanderpool, director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety. “For it to grow and flourish, you have to pick the weeds out.”

The Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission specializes in the pursuit of known criminals with active felony arrest warrants within state databases, Vanderpool said.

Over the past three months, this multi-agency task force, along with the Phoenix and Mesa police departments, has been working to give the community back to its members, said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon.

Two years ago, Gov. Janet Napolitano re-instated funding for the project, which has produced arrests in 10 of the 15 counties statewide, said Dennis Burke, the governor’s chief of staff.

The operation, deemed “Operation Checkmate,” has brought down gang members involved in crimes including the sale and possession of narcotics, automotive theft and aggravated and sexual assaults, Vanderpool said.

The process is lengthy, said DPS Lt. Fred Zumbo.

“Just running the suspect’s name and numbers alone takes two to three hours to obtain all of the information,” Zumbo said.

After compiling a significant amount of intelligence on each suspect, the task force is sent out to try to make an arrest.

“These people do not want to be caught,” Zumbo said.

After three officers were killed in gang-related incidents last year, a message is being sent through this project that they are no longer going to be tolerated, Vanderpool said.

“If these people are out to kill police officers, imagine the crimes they commit to the people in their own communities,” he said.

“The majority of the gang members we have found were here in Phoenix,” said DPS Cmdr. Dan Wells.