Street Crimes Unit (SCU)

Department Street Crimes Unit (SCU) was created in April 2007 to deal with the rising crime problem in the area of West 11th Street and South Duluth Avenue. This unit has two officers that work the afternoon shift and two that work nights. The Street Crimes Unit is part of the Patrol Division; however, its duties differ from those of other officers assigned to Patrol. The SCU is part of a cooperative effort between several City departments including Inspections, Light Department, Health Department, and many others.

The primary task of the SCU is identification, documentation, and prosecution of gang members and their associates. Since April 12, 2007, the SCU has documented 20 different gangs with an approximate membership totaling 165. During this time period, the SCU has responded to nearly 1,600 calls for service, the majority of which have been self-generated. These calls include, but are not limited to, liquor law violations, narcotics use and sale, vandalisms, assaults, and traffic related offenses. The SCU has issued nearly 800 citations and made hundreds of arrests relating to these types of crimes.

Some of the highlights of the SCU over the eight months have been:

• Providing training for staff at other organizations such as the Empire Mall, Bowden Youth Center,and Minnehaha County State’s Attorney’s Office.
• Working with Xcel Energy and the City to place streetlights in high-crime areas.
• Working closely with county probation officers sharing information about clients.
• Developing numerous narcotics-related cases which have led to multiple arrests, warrants served, and large amounts of drugs seized.
• Building relationships with local media outlets to emphasize the hard work of the Sioux Falls Police Department.
• Developing paper and digital files of gang members, tattoos, hand signs, clothing, and graffiti.
• Team members also trained with the Minnesota Gang Strike Force and attended a class hosted by NYPD Gang Unit creator Sgt. Lou Savelli (Ret).

Since its inception, the officers of the SCU have noticed a significant drop in crime in the 11th Street and Duluth Avenue area. Contributing factors include the arrest and prosecution of a large number of Gangster Disciples street gang members and the constant pressure put on local gangs throughout the city by officers of the SCU and Patrol Division.