Gathering intelligence to combat MS 13, 18th Street, and other Central America gangs in Suffolk County was the purpose of a recent trip to El Salvador by Sheriff Errol Toulon, who toured a new mega-prison built by President Nayib Bukele in an aggressive effort to crack down on crime. The Sheriff met with international stakeholders to coordinate anti-gang policing and gave some tips to his Central American counterparts on his efforts to crack down on gang-related crime in the U.S.
Toulon and Undersheriff Kevin Catalina were the first two Americans to visit the maximum security prison, which was built as a national priority to lock up gang members who had terrorized El Salvador. So wide was their reach that they controlled criminal activities in the U.S., including Suffolk, which was rocked by gang-related murders of school children and deadly drug-related crimes. Rooting out the gangs became a priority for Suffolk law enforcement, and keeping an eye on them in Toulon's facilities is a key part of their strategy.
"In collaboration with our law enforcement partners–the district attorney and the police department–we have changed the trajectory of how we deal with gangs in Suffolk County," Toulon said. "We're working very vigorously against all of the gangs that are acting in a criminal manner. We're able to identify individuals in the system and prevent issues from growing to a point where we have gang wars in our streets and other problems that could arise from gang-related activity."
According to Toulon, many high-level gang members are incarcerated, making it difficult to direct their operations. "Now they're relying on other people to carry out their decisions, and so, collectively, the law enforcement community is able to identify these individuals and stop potential acts of violence and solve crimes that have already been committed."
Toulon first visited El Salvador when he was with the New York City Department of Corrections. "I was able to wear my uniform on my recent trip; in 2018, I would not have dared wear my uniform at all," he said, noting that there was a different feeling of safety in the country under the new president. "It was very important for me to walk on the soil of El Salvador and understand what's going on. I was able to meet the U.S. ambassador to El Salvador, Homeland Security, our military, in addition to elected leaders and police officials," the Sheriff said, adding that he also visited the International Law Enforcement Academy, one of only six in the world.
President Bukele made cracking down on the gangs his top campaign platform and was propelled into office by Salvadorans sick of the crime wave sweeping across the country. In building the new super prison, he stopped all construction in the country from using concrete until the $130 million jail was completed and emergency anti-gang measures were instituted. More than 65,000 have been arrested in Bukele's nationwide sweep, with the justice minister vowing "they will never return to the streets." Cell service is banned within a mile of the prison to eliminate communication with the outside, and contraband–drugs, weapons, and prostitutes–is strictly prohibited.
Here in Suffolk, the Sheriff said the drug trade and turf wars are the two biggest issues when it comes to gang activity. As illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine make their way down to the street level, they are mixed with fentanyl and other harmful substances to increase their volume. To help combat the scourge, Toulon set up a prison-based Correction Intelligence Center to gather information about illegal activities among the gangs and share it with other jurisdictions. "We have more than 50 partners throughout the United States and other countries, including El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, the U.K., and Australia, who send us information regarding issues that are occurring in their jails," the Sheriff noted. This constant flow of intelligence helps local law enforcement keep residents safe.