The Salt Lake City Police Department’s Gang Unit has received high honors by being named the 2025 ‘Gang Unit of the Year’ by the Utah Gang Investigators Association.
This recognition celebrates the unit’s diligent work and achievements over the past year, highlighting their commitment to combating gang-related crime in the city.
Sgt. Robert Tycz, a member of the gang unit, expressed the honor of receiving the award, stating, “When you talk about Utah Gang Investigators Association, you’re talking about the most elite investigators across the state. So, to be recognized by that association is an honor.”
In addition to quantifiable achievements such as felony arrests, warrants served, and gun seizures, the gang unit’s dedication to community outreach and educational programs played a significant role in earning this accolade.
Over the past year, the unit made 74 felony arrests, had eight investigations screened for federal charges, and seized 51 firearms, along with money and drugs.
Moreover, the department stated that the gang unit was instrumental in solving various homicides by leveraging their knowledge of gang networks, informants, and emerging crime trends.
This year has seen continued efforts, with the unit already reporting 43 felony arrests and 48 gun seizures.
Sgt. Tycz noted that the observed rise in arrests is not indicative of an increase in gang violence, attributing it primarily to ongoing investigations from 2024.
However, he raised concerns about increasing juvenile gang activity, pointing out that gangs are now recruiting much younger members, even in elementary schools starting as young as 10 or 11 years old.
“The complication with that is, a lot of times, those young offenders can’t even be put through juvenile court because of that age,” said Tycz.
He elaborated that the nature of gang activity in Salt Lake has shifted; gangs are less about territorial control and more about financial gain and protection.
“This complicates our investigations, as we can’t go into a neighborhood and say that a specific gang runs this neighborhood. You may have rival gang members living next to each other, which creates its own dynamic,” he explained.
Additionally, Tycz observed that traditional associations with specific gangs have changed, with younger individuals engaging in what he termed ‘hood hopping,’ moving between different groups frequently.
This new trend adds complexity to investigations, making it challenging to track individuals and identify rivalries contributing to violence.
Another significant change noted by Tycz is the impact of social media on gang structures.
He stated, “It’s harder to track the structure. That structure is a lot more fluid in nature. In addition to that, the traditional investigative efforts, or tactics, don’t apply to today. We do a lot of things based on social media. We do a lot of networking through there, social media apps.”
Despite the evolving challenges, Sgt. Tycz emphasized that receiving the Gang Unit of the Year award serves as a motivating factor for the small unit.
He expressed, “They’re very passionate and very committed to the work. They put in a lot of hours outside of their 40 hours. And they love the work they do and the impact they have in the community.
As they see their successes, it just motivates them to work hard.”
Tycz also credited their success to partnerships with other agencies’ gang units and violent crime squads, highlighting that gang-related crimes often involve individuals from outside Salt Lake City.
image source from：https://www.deseret.com/utah/2025/05/22/salt-lake-citys-gang-detectives-recognized-as-gang-unit-of-the-year/
