C.R.A.S.H.

Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (C.R.A.S.H.) is a unit of the Los Santos Police Department intended to reduce the level of gang crime within the city. They serve as the main group of antagonists of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The unit is led by Frank Tenpenny, who is flanked by Eddie Pulaski and Jimmy Hernandez. The unit's name and self-given-description make them out to be gang-stoppers, however the unit is extremely corrupt. Although the members of C.R.A.S.H. are all among the antagonists of the game, Frank Tenpenny is the main one.

Description
The group is based on the real-life unit of the, which was rocked by the notorious  that led to the suspension, dismissal, and desk job assignments of dozens of LAPD officers involved in the scandal.

The in-game C.R.A.S.H. unit is loosely based on its real-life counterpart and the associated Rampart Division Scandal. Like the LSPD C.R.A.S.H., the LAPD C.R.A.S.H. also carried out actions of police brutality, intimidation, and evidence-planting.

Background
C.R.A.S.H. was founded by Frank Tenpenny and his partner Eddie Pulaski, who claimed that the unit's goal is to clean up the State of San Andreas from crime. In reality, the unit is extremely corrupt, and made business with street gangs such as the Ballas. Due to the corruption of the unit, an Internal Affairs officer, Ralph Pendelbury, threatened to expose the actions of C.R.A.S.H.. Tenpenny eventually found out and lured Pendelbury to the docks, where Pulaski assaults him. Pendelbury is eventually shot and killed by new C.R.A.S.H. member Jimmy Hernandez after Tenpenny threatens Hernandez with his own death.

By 1992, the unit came into contact with Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris and Lance "Ryder" Wilson, two high-ranking members of the Grove Street Families. Tenpenny managed to have them join his cause, and organise the death of Sean "Sweet" Johnson, the leader of the Grove Street Families, in a drive-by shooting by the Ballas. However, the Ballas accidentally killed Beverly Johnson, the mother of Sweet and CJ.

Involvement in Carl Johnson's life
Carl Johnson, Sweet's brother, returned to Los Santos after hearing about his mother's death. On his way back to Grove Street, he was arrested by Tenpenny and his men, just minutes after the murder of Officer Pendelbury. Tenpenny threatened to frame Carl for Pendelbury's murder before dumping him in Jefferson, one of the Ballas' key areas of turf.

Tenpenny and his unit continued to involve themselves in Carl's life, planting evidence on him to link him to Pendelbury's death so in order to coerce him into working for them, with many of Carl's tasks including planting evidence on people due to testify against C.R.A.S.H.'s corrupt actions, and in some cases, killing key witnesses.

Rise for power
With Big Smoke ruling the drug business in Los Santos, and Ryder making business with the Loco Syndicate in San Fierro, Tenpenny's power was expanded beyond its regular limits.

However, the unit had decided that Carl was no longer useful, and Tenpenny planned to cut his ties with him. Tenpenny and Eddie found out on Hernandez' connections with the Internal Affairs, leading him to meet Carl in the desert, and knock out Hernandez, ordering Eddie to dispose of the two men. Eddie successfully killed Hernandez (who attacked him), but was killed by Carl shortly afterwards.

Fall from grace
Eventually, Tenpenny was charged with racketeering, corruption, possession and use of narcotics, and numerous sexual assaults. However, as all the prosecution's witnesses have been killed by Carl, Tenpenny is acquitted, which ignites a riot in Los Santos.

Fearful of his life, Tenpenny tried to escape the city. Wanting Big Smoke's drug money, Tenpenny emerged just as Carl had killed Big Smoke and told him he had new recruits in the force who willingly followed him. Tenpenny started a fire in Big Smoke's Crack Palace downstairs, hoping to kill Carl in the blaze, then flees in a fire truck. Carl escapes, and his brother, Sweet, grabs hold of the fire truck's ladder; Carl catches him in his car and continues the chase. Eventually, Tenpenny loses control of the fire truck on the bridge over Grove Street and the fire truck crashes off the bridge. A mortally wounded Tenpenny crawls out of the truck, before succumbing to his injuries in the center of Grove Street, with his death being witnessed by Carl and Sweet.

Following Tenpenny's death, the riots subside, and C.R.A.S.H is disbanded as all of its members are dead.

Mission Appearances

 * The Introduction (Ralph Pendlebury killed)
 * In the Beginning
 * Catalyst
 * Running Dog
 * Wrong Side of the Tracks
 * Burning Desire
 * Gray Imports
 * The Green Sabre
 * Body Harvest
 * 555 We Tip
 * Snail Trail
 * Misappropriation
 * High Noon (Eddie Pulaski and Jimmy Hernandez killed)
 * End of the Line (Frank Tenpenny killed; wiped out)

Members

 * Frank Tenpenny - Leader/Gang Officer (?-1992), deceased, died in a traffic accident.
 * Eddie Pulaski - Gang Officer (?-1992), deceased, killed by Carl Johnson.
 * Jimmy Hernandez - Gang Member (1992), deceased, killed by Eddie Pulaski.

Trivia

 * The unit from  (another game made by Rockstar Games; came out after Grand Theft Auto IV) bears a resemblance to C.R.A.S.H.. Both units are official law enforcement agencies who are corrupted and have dirty dealings with street gangs. Additionally, both groups oppose the protagonist in each game, whose actions lead to the death of the leader of the unit and exposure of the unit's actions, leading to its disbanding.
 * C.R.A.S.H. officers wear a badge on their sleeve that is almost identical to that of their real-life counterpart.
 * In the mobile port, instead of having a C with a siren in the middle, it's a blue C for their icon. It's almost identical to Catalina's icon, only with a color difference.
 * In The Introduction, Officer Ralph Pendelbury seems to have a C.R.A.S.H. badge, but it could be an Internal Affairs badge.

Navigation
Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums C.R.A.S.H. C.R.A.S.H. C.R.A.S.H. C.R.A.S.H. Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums C.R.A.S.H. C.R.A.S.H. C.R.A.S.H. C.R.A.S.H.