A Massachusetts statewide database called MassGangs collects information about gangs and allows access to information from neighboring jurisdictions, reports Government Technology. The database breaks the barriers to information sharing that previously inhibited gang investigations. “The gangs in Massachusetts are very transient,” said Lowell Police Department Sgt. David Peaslee. “They travel from city to city here very fluently.” If he suspects someone is a gang member, must have different departments check their databases for information. The MassGangs database will eliminate that legwork by allowing officers to search data themselves.
The system will link information gathered by various agencies, including the corrections department. The system was funded by a $2 million U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance grant. Data are verified by supervisors before being entered into the statewide system.