gang leaders
Street crew heads
Gang leaders are the people who direct and control criminal street gangs or organized crime groups.
The term emphasizes authority within illegal enterprises—drug trafficking, territorial control, extortion.
Police arrested several gang leaders in the overnight raids.
The gang leader ordered retaliation.
News coverage and law enforcement use the phrase to identify those at the top of criminal hierarchies.
- crime bossLeader of criminal organization
- bossesManagers or raised studs
- kingpinsDominant figures in organizations
- shot callerPerson in charge
- top dogDominant leader
crime lords · mobsters · organized crime · cartel · criminal enterprise · turf · turf war · lieutenants · thugs · territory · streets · underworld · syndicate · racketeering · drug trade · protection · loyalty · feared
- troublemakerstroublemaker, rascals, delinquents, imps, brats
- Supermax Prisonssolitary confinement, maximum security, isolation cells, lockdown, cell blocks
gang leadersfoot soldiers
Ground-based military fighters
gang members · enforcers · underlings · runners · recruits
gang leaderspolice chiefs
Law enforcement department heads
police commissioners · sheriffs · prosecutors · crime fighters · FBI agents
gang leaderscommunity leaders
Those directing local groups
youth pastors · social workers · community organizers · mentors · civic leaders
gang, leader, gangs, ganged, ganging, gangster, gangsters, leaders, lead