Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums |
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Patch of the Los Angeles Police Department CRASH division
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| Abbreviation | CRASH |
| Motto | "To Protect and to Serve" "We Intimidate Those Who Intimidate Others" (unofficial) |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1979 |
| Dissolved | March 4, 2000 |
| Superseding agency | LAPD Gang and Narcotics Division |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Size | 498 sq mi (1,290 km2) |
| Population | 3.8 million |
| Operational structure | |
| Officers | 300 (estimated) |
| Parent agency | Los Angeles Police Department |
| Facilities | |
| Areas |
18
Central
Rampart Southwest Hollenbeck Harbor Hollywood Wilshire West Los Angeles Van Nuys West Valley Northeast 77th Street Newton Pacific North Hollywood Foothill Devonshire Southeast |
The Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) was a special police unit. It was part of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). CRASH worked to stop gang-related crime. This unit was active from 1979 to 2000.
CRASH was created in the South Central area of Los Angeles, California. Its main goal was to fight the increasing gang violence there. Each of the LAPD's 18 police areas had its own CRASH team. Their job was to reduce gang-related crimes across the city.
Contents
What Was CRASH?
CRASH stood for Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums. It was a special group of police officers. Their main focus was to deal with problems caused by gangs. They worked to make neighborhoods safer.
Why Was CRASH Formed?
CRASH was formed in 1979 because gang activity was growing. There was a lot of violence in Los Angeles. The police department wanted a dedicated team. This team would focus only on gang-related issues. Their goal was to keep the streets safe from gang crime.
Why Did CRASH End?
CRASH faced serious problems starting in 1997. These issues became known as the Rampart scandal. It showed that some officers in the unit were not following the rules. Because of these problems, CRASH was shut down in 2000. A new unit, the LAPD Gang and Narcotics Division, took its place.
CRASH in Pop Culture
The CRASH unit has appeared in many movies and video games. These stories often show fictional versions of the unit. They help people understand its history.
Video Games and Movies
- A made-up version of CRASH is in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It is a main group of bad guys in the game.
- The 1988 movie Colors features two CRASH members. They are played by actors Robert Duvall and Sean Penn.
- The movie Training Day was influenced by the problems found in CRASH. The director, Antoine Fuqua, said the Rampart Scandal helped finish the film. Actor Denzel Washington grew a beard to look like Rafael Pérez. He was an LAPD officer involved in some scandals.
- The TV show The Shield (2002-2008) is also based on the Rampart scandal. It shows a police unit that fights gangs but has its own problems. The show was originally going to be called "Rampart."
