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Bellevue Sergeant Attends MS-13/18th Street Gang Conference in El Salvador

Investigators from all over the United States, including Sergeant John Brazda from the Bellevue Police, attended the International Case Coordination Conference in San Salvador, El Salvador. The conference is intended to bring together members of the FBI, US Attorney’s Offices and local police investigators to develop investigative strategies and initiate long-term, comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional investigations.

Attendees had a guarded tour of MS-13 and 18th Street gang neighborhoods. The tour group was escorted throughout the neighborhoods by heavily armed members of the El Salvadoran National Police Transnational Anti-Gang Task Force. The group also toured Zacatecoluca, one of El Salvador's maximum security prisons and home of some of El Salvodor's most dangerous and ruthless gang members.

Sgt Brazda said that by attending the conference he was able to establish gang investigator contacts throughout the U.S. and El Salvador. "Anything that comes up involving an MS-13 or 18th Street investigaton, I'll be able to reach out through the FBI and speak with these individuals and utilize their resources." In fact, one gang unit supervisor in El Salvador has already given Sgt Brazda important Nebraska-related information. "This information could become very valuable in the future and could save lives."

Photo: Sgt Brazda posing in front of MS-13 graffiti. Click photo to enlarge.