VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Agencies from across the Commonwealth are meeting this week at the Founders Inn in Virginia Beach for the 25th Annual Virginia Gang Investigators Association Conference. Things kicked off Monday with interview training for officers and investigators.
“You’ve got to build that rapport with them so that they will trust you and they will be willing to talk to you,” said Brendan Bartley, a special investigator with the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice.
Bartley retired as a gang investigator for the Newport News Police Department and knows agents across the Commonwealth depend on the information they learn at the conference, like training on interview skills.
"One of the things that I hadn’t done in years is get into an interview room," he added. "So that’s why today is really important to me. I’m refreshing all those skills in interview and interrogation."
Eric Kempf is also a special investigator with the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. "Just talk to the person, learn more about them, make them be more open to you," he said. "I’ve really learned a lot from it just in the few hours I’ve been there."
Kempf said it's also surprising to see the different types of people and professions who come out to learn the new and latest techniques. Bartley and Kempf are part of just one agency at the conference.
President of the Virginia Gang Investigators Association, Randy Crank, said this year they’ve reserved all the rooms at the Founders Inn and they had to extend more blocks at other hotels for the number of people attending.
“We have over 450 officers that are going to be here from all over the state. Actually, there’s 98 different jurisdictions that are represented,” Crank said.
He pointed out certain gang trends the state of Virginia is struggling with this year. "We’re just seeing an upswing in outlaw motorcycle gangs," he said. "We’re seeing a lot of home-grown gangs, which is a hybrid gang—which is the kids."
Officers and agents who leave the conference’s training will also be certified through the association to give expert witness testimony in gang-related cases. The conference ramps up on Tuesday with public speakers and a full event schedule. The event will continue at Founders Inn until Friday, October 25.