Preview selection from an extensive archive (500+) of original law enforcement field identification (Field ID) photographs documenting street gangs throughout California from the 1990s through the early 2000s. Produced by specialized gang units including the LAPD CRASH (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums) program, Orange County Gang Units, and other regional law enforcement agencies, these original Polaroid photographs were created to identify, document, and track known gang members.
Field identification photographs typically focus on distinctive tattoos, scars, clothing, jewelry, hand signs, nicknames, physical characteristics, and other identifying features, providing investigators with a visual record to assist in identifying individuals and monitoring gang affiliations over time. Unlike standard booking photographs, many Field ID images were taken during street contacts, probation checks, or intelligence-gathering operations, often documenting tattoos and other identifying marks in close detail. The archive provides a rare insight into historical gang intelligence practices and the documentation methods employed by specialized gang enforcement units.
