An American expert told a gang summit in Calgary that investigators can glean vital information by tapipng into social networking sites used by gangsters. (Bryan Labby/CBC)

Police posing as aspiring gangsters can use social networking sites such as Facebook to gain an insider's peek at organized crime in their area, said an expert speaking at the Alberta Gang Crime Summit Thursday.

Det. George Chavez of the Madison Police Department in Wisconsin said officers could use the websites to glean information such as licence plate numbers and even a group's plans for the night.

Profiles on Facebook and other sites are private and people have to be invited as friends to view them, so gang members feel secure in putting up information, Chavez said at the conference, being held at Calgary's Mount Royal College.

The aim of the two-day event attended by about 150 representatives of government, police and non-profit groups is to discuss ways to suppress gang activity in Alberta.

With the right knowledge, police can use gang signs and insider language to create their own profiles and be added as friends on networking sites.

"There are times where you can find them talking about altercations they've had, issues they've had with rival gang members," said Chavez. "Sometimes, it will give you a heads-up as to what may be coming, or it may actually help you in solving what's happened.

'If you show their page some respect, they're usually pretty good about inviting you in to their web page, as long as your page is set up so it doesn't look like a page by somebody who's 45, 50 years old.'—Det. George Chavez, gang expert

"They do exchange information, and sometimes, I think, they think that nobody's watching."

It's all about the details in getting a gang member to accept you into their world, said Chavez. For example, a gang that operates near Madison uses the number 13, so replacing the letter "e" within words with the numeral "3" can signal an affiliation with the group.

"If you show their page some respect, they're usually pretty good about inviting you in to their web page, as long as your page is set up so it doesn't look like a page by somebody who's 45, 50 years old," he said.

"You wouldn't put 'Kenny Rogers, Best of' on there, you know what I'm saying?"

It's also important to know what gang you're targeting. Some gangs will use Facebook and MySpace while ethnic gangs might flock more to sites such as Asiantown.net.

Officers can tap into networks

Such sites are a good way to reach more inexperienced, street-level gangs, says gang expert and author Michael Chettleburgh. Members of these groups are often hungry for approval and connections.

"Kind of the currency on the street right now is how many Facebook friends that you have, so if you are an egotistical emerging gang member and you have all these people wanting to be part of your site, there's a currency on the street that means something," he said.

Online meeting places have become so popular in part because they help build instant networks — by adding one person as a friend, you're immediately introduced to an entire array of contacts.

This feature makes these sites valuable for officers trying to pin down who might have gang connections or who might be taking part in a certain event.

Internet ideal recruiting ground

Police forces across Canada have been slowly turning to the internet over the last few years as it's been identified as an ideal recruiting ground for gangs looking to attract impressionable youth.

They troll sites such as YouTube for pro-gang videos and even post their own counter-messages aimed at kids.

"More and more police agencies are going to the [internet and] are getting more internet savvy and trying to build their intelligence files on individuals and groups via following them on social networking sites," said Chettleburgh.

So far, the tactic is working well because young gangsters don't think police are technically savvy and expect anything they post on the internet to stay private, said Chavez.

He expects it will only be a matter of time before gangsters shift to another technology. "As soon as we learn it, they change it, so we'll be finding something else that they'll be moving to," he said.