Gang and cop Terms/Slang

ABG's – anybody goes, kill anybody. Ask 'Where you from' no answer they go

big homey – Eme

CALGANGS – Database on statewide gang info.

Charge sheet – paper drawing up details of charges against suspects

check in – enter protective custody

check someone – kill them

chrono – chronological record documenting time and date of all events in an investigator, including statements to cops, even if not validated or are merely rumors.

COs – Correctional Officers

cucui – boogeyman, devil

deep in the Eme, deeply involved with the Mexican Mafia

Detective Gang Coordinator – D3 in charge of gang patrol

El Sureno – Avenues rival gang in Highland Park

feria – tax

green-lighted – an order of assassination by the Eme

Hard candy – euphemism for assassination, from killing with a shiv concealed in anus, it comes out covered in excrement

High Power Gang Modules

HLP – Highland Park gang tag

Homicide Table – each division has a group of homicide detectives, with a Detective Supervisor.

I-card – Intelligence Card – contains photo, legal and street names, gang affiliations, lists of associates, descriptions of tattoos and any other information deemed relevant.

IGI – Igees, Institutional Gang Investigators

jacket – record

LCN – gang tattoo

Los Hemelos, Twin Towers

mayates – derogatory term for blacks

MS13/M-13 - Mara Salvatrucha Trece. Considered one of the more dangerous gangs, some have even linked them with Al Qaeda. They were charged with desecrating the Vietnam War Memorial.

Norteños – Northern California based prison gang. Nuestra Familia

Pairo – favor given, small break given by cops

palabra – word or powerful influence

Palmas – California Institute for Men in Chino

Paperwork – term for official documents from CIs by Eme and gangs.

pedaso – knife or shank

pilli – Eme

placa – nickname

plana or plomo – silver or lead

reglas – Eme rules

Rent – taxes

shot caller – Eme members or Associates with the power to issue orders at the highest level, like green-lighting someone to be killed.

Subrinos – Eme 'nephews'

Sureños – Southern California gang, also Eme

Tax collector, gang associate who collects money owed by businesses, including drug dealers. Tax collectors are said to run a tax collection crew.

tio – Eme associate, 'uncle'

torrones – derogatory term for blacks

varrio - hood

Write-ups – disorderly conducts in jail

AVE, LA, AVENUE, LOS AVENIDAS, AVENIDAS – Avenue tags and tattoos. Also use a skeleton head wearing a fedora and fur collar. Sometimes the skull will have a bullet hole in the temple. Gang chapters like Avenue 43, Avenue 57, Drew Street, and Cypress Avenue. A number will be added like: 4 & 3 in the eye sockets

disrespected – diss gang or hood. Can lead to greenlighting

Los Padrinos – juvenile court and detention center

Eme – Mexican Mafia, prison gang that has unified or tried to, all California Hispanic gangs. Spanish for 'M' Their edicts:

1. All Hispanic street gangs had to stop drive-bys.

2. All had to swear allegiance to the Mexican Mafia and fly the blue flag of the Sureños.

3. All Hispanic gangs pay taxes or rent to Mexican Mafia

Failure to follow these edicts means greenlighting

The public and the press play a game of let's pretend. Both of them want to believe that given a choice gangs like the Avenidas and the Crips at heart want to be good. The public has always been duped about gangs, mostly by indifferent or one-sided reporting in newspapers, which give a voice to one side, but not the other.

Aztec Nahuatl

Aztec lingo used as secret code in prison. Like the Navajo code talkers in WWII:

Ixtac – white

Kanpoleros – southern gang member

Miqui – to kill

Nahuatl – the Aztec language

Osomatli – monkey, derogatory term for blacks

Pili – honored one, Mexican Mafia member

Tusa – Rat or informant

Xipe – to flay or skin

Spanish terms

churo – burnt sugar donut/elephant ear type sweet

Cojale – fuck you

cuate – buddy

de los otros – the others, gays

Grifo – faucet, slang for junkie

la carnicería - meat shop

mariscos – taco truck

Petiso de mierda – piece of shit

pinche – asshole

Que onda? - what's happening?

taqueria – taco truck