Group Member Capability

The Group Member Capability (GMC) provides information in a format similar to Wanted Person File records about individual members of gangs or terrorist organizations. Law enforcement agencies may enter information about the individual gang member or terrorist, or may query this file to obtain information about such an individual. The GMC enables on-line entry and retrieval of information about qualifying gang or terrorist organization members using name and/or numeric identifiers or vehicle information.

The GMC has two major functions: protecting the street officer and promoting the exchange of information about specific gangsters or terrorists. The first function is accomplished by the automatic cross-search of the VGTOF with all wanted person and vehicle inquiries, resulting in early notification and warning that a subject encountered by an officer may be a potentially violent gang member or terrorist. The second function is accomplished by reference to the ORI and Originating Agency Case Number (OCA) of the record-entering agency allowing further, more extensive contact between the agencies. This feature is augmented by use of the GRC (Group Reference Capability) to obtain more information about the particular Gang (or Terrorist Organization) and subgroup listed in the GMC record.

Entry of a gang or terrorist organization member in the Group Member Capability is predicated on the entry or preexistence of a GRC record for the group to which that member belongs.

Unlike a GRC record, in which multiple agencies can express interest in a single record, GMC records are individually entered by each agency. This enables each agency to place any identifying information, which may differ among agencies, in its own record. Under this system, multiple records on one record subject may be returned to an inquiring agency.

Like all records, probable cause to search or seize is not established by the GMC record standing alone. In any case, arrest of a GMC record subject would not be appropriate based on only his/her group affiliation. A caveat appears with every GMC record warning against search or seizure established solely on the record. This does not mean that a GMC record has no relevance to either reasonable suspicion to investigatively detain a record subject (and perform an accompanying frisk pursuant to such a detention), to arrest a record subject based on probable cause, or to search premises or vehicles based on probable cause.