Featured Columnists
Sgt Lou Savelli
Sgt Lou Savelli is a retired Sergeant from NYPD with 25 years in law enforcement. Lou Savelli created NYPD's first citywide gang unit, CAGE (Citywide Anti Gang Enforcement), which was awarded the National Gang Crime Research Center's Award for The Most Successful Gang Unit in the US. Lou Savelli has had outstanding success in street enforcement and investigation of some of the most violent gangs in America, including the NY Latin Kings, Crips, Bloods, Cali Colombia Cartel, NY's Five Mafia Families, and other violent street gangs, drug gangs, and organized crime gangs. Lou Savelli has worked undercover amidst gangs and was the victim of a 'greenlight' (murder contract) by gangs he fought against. He is a frequently-published author of gang-related articles; his books include Gangs Across America and their Symbols and The Pocketguide to Graffiti. His new book, soon to be released, is The Gang Investigation Manual: Successful Strategies and Innovative Tactics for Interdicting and Investigating Gangs. Lou Savelli lectures on gang and criminal investigation tactics to thousands of US and international law enforcement professionals each year through his training group, Homefront Protective Group Inc. (www.homefrontprotect.com).
Det Joe Sparks
Det Joe Sparks is a recently retired member of the Chicago Police Department's famed Gang Unit. Of his 33 years in police work, Joe Sparks spent 27 years in the Gang Unit, and is widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable and experienced gang investigators in the world. Joe Sparks is a frequent lecturer and trainer for the Chicago Police Department and for gang investigator's associations in the US and Canada. Joe Sparks has conducted highly successful investigations against gangs such as the Latin Kings, Gangster Disciples, maniac Latin Disciples, Vice Lords, and many other Chicago-based gangs. Joe Sparks personally investigated and arrested Maniac Latin Disciple leader Jose Padilla who became the notorious Al Qaeda terrorist labeled ‘The Dirty Bomber’. Joe Sparks predicted the current trends in gang migration and gang-related crime long before any other commentator, and has been a leading advocate for strong anti-gang measures. Joe Sparks has written gang-related articles for law enforcement officers and has consulted for many law enforcement agencies across America on fighting gangs with his proactive strategies. Joe Sparks can be reached at JJSGIS@aol.com
Sgt Rich Valdemar
Sgt Rich Valdemar retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in 2004. For most of his 33 years with the LASD he was involved in combating gangs, and for the last 20 years he was assigned to the Detective Division, Major Crimes Bureau. Rich Valdemar also served for more than 10 years on the Federal Metropolitan Gang Task Force, cross designated as an FBI agent, and for 20 years served as a member of the California (Prison) Gang Task Force. Rich Valdemar has worked undercover infiltrating gangs, and was the ‘gang expert’ in the RICO prosecution of the Mexican Mafia in 1995 and 1999. He is an internationally known expert in both traditional and non-traditional gangs, and has been a regular trainer for countless law enforcement agencies. Rich Valdemar has also been a consultant and contributor to several books and periodicals, including Barrio Gangs by Dr. James Diego Vigil, and Gangs - A Guide to Understanding Street Gangs by Dr. Al Valdez. He is a character in the novel The Murder Children by John Ball, and a quoted consultant in Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo's current book, In Mortal Danger. Richard is currently working on books about the early days of the OSS gang unit, terrorism, police gang training, and on several motion picture projects. Rich Valdemar can be reached at calgangsarge@earthlink.net.
