--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don't need a specialized gang unit. We…" description: "\"We don't need a specialized gang unit. We need patrol officers who specialize in knowing their community.\" — Greg Boyle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/greg-boyle-3692_community_we-don-t-need-a-specialized-gang-unit-we_939127.png" --- # We don't need a specialized gang unit. We need patrol… ![“We don't need a specialized gang unit. We need patrol officers who specialize in knowing their community.” quote by Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/greg-boyle-3692_community_we-don-t-need-a-specialized-gang-unit-we_939127.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/greg-boyle-3692_community_we-don-t-need-a-specialized-gang-unit-we_939127.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/greg-boyle-3692_community_we-don-t-need-a-specialized-gang-unit-we_939127.png) > “We don't need a specialized gang unit. We need patrol officers who specialize in knowing their community.” [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective policing relies on officers who deeply understand and engage with their neighborhoods, not just specialized units. **In simple terms:** Community knowledge beats specialized units. Key Takeaway Invest in community‑focused policing. Themes community policing trust Mood hopeful serious Type policy inspirational When to use this quote - neighborhood patrols - community meetings - crime prevention Key Concepts sociology public safety Questions to Reflect On - How can officers build community trust? - What training supports local knowledge? A Different Perspective Specialized units can address specific threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Gang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gang/) [Gang Unit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gang-unit-1591001/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Need Patrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-patrol-1591002/) [Officers Specialize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officers-specialize-1591003/) [Patrol Officers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patrol-officers-1591004/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Specialized Gang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specialized-gang-1591000/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [And ICE and Border Patrol officers will be allowed to do their jobs the way their jobs are supposed to be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/and-ice-and-border-patrol-officers-will-be-allowed-to-do-their-jobs/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Me wanting a gang member to have a different life would never be the same as that gang member wanting to have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/me-wanting-a-gang-member-to-have-a-different-life-would-never-be-the/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [In Los Angeles, the gang capital of the world, we have 1,100 gangs and 120,000 gang members so it is a daunting, complex social dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/in-los-angeles-the-gang-capital-of-the-world-we-have-1-100-gangs-and/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [Businesses have come and gone at Homeboy Industries. We have had starts and stops, but anything worth doing is worth failing at. We started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/businesses-have-come-and-gone-at-homeboy-industries-we-have-had/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [I know now that gang warfare is not the Middle East or Northern Ireland. There is violence in gang violence, but there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/i-know-now-that-gang-warfare-is-not-the-middle-east-or-northern/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [I work with gang members, and I feel a kind of affinity and gift, even. But who would've thunk it, you know? I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/i-work-with-gang-members-and-i-feel-a-kind-of-affinity-and-gift-even/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [I do believe in lessons learned. I have learned that you work with gang members and not with gangs; otherwise, you enforce the cohesion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/i-do-believe-in-lessons-learned-i-have-learned-that-you-work-with/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [I have never seen a hopeful person join a gang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/i-have-never-seen-a-hopeful-person-join-a-gang/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [You can't reason with gang violence: you can't talk to it, sit it at the table, and negotiate with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/you-can-t-reason-with-gang-violence-you-can-t-talk-to-it-sit-it-at/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [The idea that any law enforcement agency or person would ever know these gang members better than Homeboy Industries is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/the-idea-that-any-law-enforcement-agency-or-person-would-ever-know/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [Gang members aren't frightened into acceptable behavior by increased penalties, enhanced punishments, and the promise of new detention facilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/gang-members-aren-t-frightened-into-acceptable-behavior-by-increased/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [All my life I've been involved with racial politics. I was a Freedom Rider in the South. I was the author of books on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hayden/all-my-life-i-ve-been-involved-with-racial-politics-i-was-a-freedom/) [Tom Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hayden/) > [Women are sort of like motorcycle gangs with me. They get really shy and polite. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/women-are-sort-of-like-motorcycle-gangs-with-me-they-get-really-shy/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“...unnskyld? Men opptar Fordervelsen hele sofaen?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-l-kielland/unnskyld-men-opptar-fordervelsen-hele-sofaen/) [Alexander L. Kielland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-l-kielland/) > [“barrios; each barrio has two or three gangs, and all the gangs are theoretically”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/barrios-each-barrio-has-two-or-three-gangs-and-all-the-gangs-are/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) ## More by Greg Boyle > [The truth is this: Brutalized, victimized children invariably will brutalize and victimize when they grow up. Is our only response to this the certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/the-truth-is-this-brutalized-victimized-children-invariably-will/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [I don't save people. God saves people. I can point them in the right direction. I can say, 'There's that door. I think if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/i-don-t-save-people-god-saves-people-i-can-point-them-in-the-right/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [Gang members aren't frightened into acceptable behavior by increased penalties, enhanced punishments, and the promise of new detention facilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/gang-members-aren-t-frightened-into-acceptable-behavior-by-increased/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [The idea that any law enforcement agency or person would ever know these gang members better than Homeboy Industries is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/the-idea-that-any-law-enforcement-agency-or-person-would-ever-know/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [You can't reason with gang violence: you can't talk to it, sit it at the table, and negotiate with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/you-can-t-reason-with-gang-violence-you-can-t-talk-to-it-sit-it-at/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [I have never seen a hopeful person join a gang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/i-have-never-seen-a-hopeful-person-join-a-gang/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [Most citizens viewing the tape of Rodney G. 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