Michael Ricks has been policing in the Metro Atlanta Area for over seven years. After working two years in uniform patrol, Ricks joined one of the busiest Gang Units in Georgia. From 2019-2020, Ricks served on the uniform element of the Gang Unit. He has been on the plain clothes element of the unit ever since then. In his time as a detective on the Gang Unit, Ricks has participated in undercover operations, multiple wire-tap investigations, testified multiple times as an expert witness on criminal street gangs, led a large RICO investigation resulting in a 26 suspect indictment, worked cases that took him to numerous states, re-written his agency's gang training, presented at multiple gang conferences across the nation, and charged violations of the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism Prevention Act over 400 times. Ricks also has experience on a federal gang task force. Ricks is a certified Gang Specialist through the National Gang Crime Research Center. He also holds certificates as a Gang Investigator and in Gang and Human Trafficking Investigations through the Georgia Gang Investigators Association. He teaches university level criminal justice classes at Kennesaw State University and Arizona State University (online). Ricks offers classes ranging from half day presentations to full week courses. Topics include Introduction to Criminal Street Gangs, Specialized Gang Patrol Techniques, Gang Investigation Tactics, Hybrid Gangs, Hispanic Gangs, Gang Identification, Gangs and Organized Crime, Gangs and Transnational Criminal Organziations, as well as customized classes on request. Ricks also serves as a consultant to agencies who wish to start or add to their Gang/STG Units or to help reduce their jurisdiction's gang threat. | |
Established in 2023 | |
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michaelrickstraining@gmail.com | |
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