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SALT LAKE CITY — Officers describe it as a hamster wheel, a never-ending cycle of trying to stop crime, and criminals from committing more.
"It's all tied in, gangs, money, guns. It's all interwoven," said unit officer Zach Van Emmerik.
There's about 100 known gangs in the Salt Lake Valley, and 2,500 to 3,500 documented gang members from local groups to those that are nationally known.
"We've got homegrown gangs like VLT, QVO, Eastside Rascals, there's a number of gangs out here," Van Emmerik said.
The Metro Gang Unit works with the FBI, ATF and the U.S. Marshal's Office.
"We're out here all the time, hunting down our top 10 fugitives, any gang member that hits our radar we'll go hunt, even non-gang members we'll go after," Van Emmerik said.
In the last two weeks, six of the top 10 most sought after gang members have been captured by the unit. Wednesday, another name was crossed off the list. Randy Robinson, a known member of SAC, a violent white supremacist group, was arrested.
One woman was wanted for assault and also was cited for resisting arrest and assaulting an officer after she put up a fight.
"It escalated by her actions and now she's going to get a trip to jail," said Van Emmerik.
It's a daily war against crime and gangs for the Metro Gang Unit.
Van Emmerik said one of the most frustrating parts of the job is when they catch a suspect and see him bail out of jail or get released due to jail overcrowding.
