Episode 17
Gang Violence
Behind the Crime Scene - A True Crime Podcast with Gina L. Osborn
Episode 17
According to the FBI, some 33,000 violent street gangs, motorcycle gangs, and prison gangs are criminally active in the U.S. today. Many are sophisticated and well organized; all use violence to control neighborhoods and boost their illegal money-making activities, which include robbery, drug and gun trafficking, prostitution and human trafficking, and fraud. Many gang members continue to commit crimes even after being sent to jail. On the front lines, law enforcement battles everyday to keep communities safe. This is their story.
Join Gina L Osborn and Tracy Miller Behind the Crime Scene as we talk to Santa Ana Police Department Detective Sergeant Julian Rodriguez and Detective Matthew McLeod to hear about a day in the life of a gang investigator and a story that will both break your heart and blow your mind.
Special Guest
julian rodriguez, detective sergeant, santa ana police department
Julian Rodriguez has been a law enforcement officer for over 24-years. Starting his career with the Los Angeles Police Department in 1996, he spent six years working in communities impacted by gang violence. He worked as a gang officer before leaving the LAPD and joining the Santa Ana Police Department in 2002. During his time at SAPD, Julian worked as a patrol officer, auto theft detective, and robbery detective. In 2006, he transferred to the Homicide Unit, specializing in gang-related crimes of violence. During his career, Detective Rodriguez investigated over 100 homicide cases with his partners in the Homicide unit. He collaborated with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office on multiple homicide trials, testifying as a subject matter expert in the area of gang crimes. Additionally, he served as the president of the Orange County Gang Investigator’s Association. In 2015, Julian Promoted to Sergeant and completed a short tour in the Field Operations Bureau as a uniformed field supervisor before returning to the Investigations Bureau as the Detective Sergeant overseeing the Homicide Section. Currently, he leads a team of detectives who investigate high profile crimes in the City of Santa Ana.
Special Guest
Matthew McLeod, Detective, Santa Ana Police Department
During his career as a law enforcement officer within the state of California, Matthew “Matt” McLeod has served in myriad assignments, ranging from Uniform Patrol to Gang Homicide Detective. Whilst employed by the Los Angeles Police Department, from 1996 to 2001, Matt began his foray into the realm of gang-related crime investigation, during which he was responsible for overseeing the activity associated with primarily Hispanic and African American criminal street gangs, developed intelligence in regard to the members of those groups and utilized his expertise and experience in both court settings and the field. After transferring to the Santa Ana Police Department in 2001, Matt continued his dedication to eradicating communities of the gang crime scourge through the investigation of over 300 cases involving crimes ranging from illegal firearms possessions to murders. Matt has testified in court settings and has been qualified as an expert in the criminal street gang subculture in excess of 250 times. As the senior homicide detective within the Santa Ana Police Department Homicide Detail, Matt mentors junior detectives, as well as patrol officers, in investigative strategies, advanced legal theories and interrogation/interview techniques on a continuous basis. Matt is an advocate for community members affected by criminal street gang activity and uses his advanced experience and interpersonal skills to both educate and serve those in need.