Los Angeles Police Department Sergeant Cesar Mata, 42, part of the Southeast Division's police gang unit, supervises the investigation of an attempted theft of a gold chain April 14, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Sgt Mata grew up in the adjacent city of Maywood, CA, and has years of experience dealing with local Bloods, Crips and Hispanic street gangs.

Members of the Los Angeles Police Department's gang unit check two young men for possible weapons April 15, 2010 in the Nickerson Gardens housing project in Southeast Los Angeles.

A building's wall displays street gang graffiti belonging to Warrior Varios Grape, WVG, a Hispanic subset of the Crips street gang April 15, 2010 in the Southeast area of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department investigate a possible kidnapping case April 15, 2010 in the Southeast Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers with the Los Angeles Police Department's gang unit search four young men April 15, 2010 in the Jordan Downs Housing Project in the Southeast Division of Los Angeles, California. The housing project is a known gang neighborhood controlled by the Grape Street Crips.

Police officers with the Los Angeles Police Department's gang unit search four young men in the Jordan Downs Housing Project April 15, 2010 in the Southeast Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers with the Los Angeles Police Department investigate a possible street gang violence case April 14, 2010 in the Southeast Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers with the Los Angeles Police Department investigate a possible street gang violence case April 15, 2010 in the Southeast Division of Los Angeles, California.

A police officer from the Los Angeles Police Department's gang unit checks on the identity of possible Crips gang members April 17, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's gang unit check a vehicle for a pistol April 17, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's gang unit check a pulled over vehicle for a pistol April 15, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's gang unit monitor an investigation for a weapon April 15, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's counter surveillance team take into custody two Bloods street gang members for burglary and theft of two tv screens from a nearby house April 21, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's counter surveillance team take into custody two Bloods street gang members for burglary and theft of two television screens from a nearby house April 21, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's counter surveillance team and gang unit search a vacant house after taking into custody two Bloods street gang members for burglary and theft of two tv screens from a nearby house April 21, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

A police officer from the Los Angeles Police Department's counter surveillance team takes into custody two Bloods street gang members for burglary and theft of two tv screens from a nearby house April 21, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's counter surveillance team and gang unit investigate the burglary and theft of two tv screens from a nearby house April 21, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's counter surveillance team and gang unit take into custody two Bloods street gang members for burglary and theft of two tv screens from a nearby house in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's counter surveillance team show the home owner what was taken from his house following a burglary and recovery of his two tv screens April 21, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California. Two Bloods street gang members were taken into custody.

Police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's counter surveillance team and gang unit seal off an intersection following a street gang burglary and theft from a nearby home April 21, 2010 in the 77th Division of Los Angeles, California.