From what I can tell, their basically subcontracting out crime prevention to criminals.
The dude says he was a gang banger, but he also speaks the language of dismantling oppression and shit, so the city is paying him to deal with crime.
He’s basically a go between of the government and the “gang bangers”.
(A term he actually used).
Sounding just like Kelly Turnbull, one of the main antagonists a highschool-loser turned College Professor turned politician/head of security/still a "professor" who started off his career by taking down the American Flag and going on about oppression, had the bright idea to make use of the gangs to be the ones to kill those resisting
Mostly because Tumblrites, Landwhales, Transtrenders, multicolored haired losers, soyboys and so on where horrible with weapons and even shot themselves in the foot
Actually became/became-part-of the new police-equivalent of the People's Republic
Unfortunately, I don't think these gangbangers will do so well when confronted with the ACTUAL Armed Forces and the ACTUAL SWAT coming on
Honestly, these guys will be a lower-part of the "More Equal Than Others"-class, their possession of say firearms will denote their special status and privileges