Gang violence will take years to conquer, says police president

by Barry Artiste | February 20, 2009 at 05:34 am
527 views | 8 Recommendations | 10 comments

Photos

Gang Violence Task Force at No. 5 Orange Strip Bar on Downtown Eastside

Gang Violence Task Force at No. 5 Orange Strip Bar on Downtown Eastside

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uploaded by jr

Barry Artiste Op/Ed

Though the President of Chiefs of Police is earnest in his plan to eradicate Gangs, one thing clearly missing in this plan by municipal mayors is a call to the Federal Government to implement immediate deportation of any convicted Gang Members and their families (who know of their kids gang affiliation) from Canada.  Many of these Gangs originate from Vietnam and Asia who bring their special skills to this country. That is a fact! 

This Province and the Previous Federal Liberal Government it seems "Sold us Out", by not doing background checks on immigrants whose criminal past in their native country allowed them to immigrate to Canada!

Another undeniable fact, the media is full of stories of recent Immigrant criminals facing charges or on bail for years in this province convicted of crimes here, where it is learned later they face even more crimes back in their native country!

Any Canadians convicted of gang crimes receive no bail, no credit for time served and go to prison for so long, once they are released they will be using a walker.  That will be a deterrent when gangs learn their families face deportation as well, cause many family members know all too well what their kids are doing.

For Canadian Gang Members, knowing they will never see the light of day outside prison and perform hard labour will be a deterrent.  My ideal would be Military Prisons like Gitmo, as compared to the luxury of our mainstream prisons. What better way to put our troops to work protecting it's citizen guarding these scum, instead of going overseas protecting other countries when it is Canadians who need protection.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Gang+violence+will+take+years+conquer+says+president+police+chiefs+association/1308245/story.html

Gang violence will take years to conquer, says president of police chiefs' association
By Jonathan Fowlie and Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun

The Lower Mainland is “years away” from solving the problem of gang violence, a senior police officer said Thursday. But regional mayors drew up a wish list of things they’d like the federal and provincial governments to do sooner than later. “I feel like we’re going to make some headway in the next while, but to be honest, we’ve got a long way to go,” said Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich, who is also president of the British Columbia Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police.

Rich said police haven’t had the resources needed to tackle the gang problem. “I honestly don’t think the level of response has been appropriate to the size of the problem,” he said, adding that additional resources announced last week by Premier Gordon Campbell would help.

Metro Vancouver mayors, hosted by Surrey’s Dianne Watts, drew up an 11-point action plan. Most of the points are beyond municipal control and will have to be addressed by the federal and provincial governments.

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Blue Crush

I agree, gang activity has gotten way out of hand in Surrey.  It needs to be addressed aggressively.

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Barry Artiste

Thanks Blue, hence my suggestion deport and incarcerate

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Roy C

If the neighborhood lacks fathers, and the gang activity gets established, yes, you must literally take the gang back from the neighborhood, totally disestablishing it.

If you intervene in the boys' lives when they are young, then you can prevent it.

But, once established, fear is what inhibits the activity, and then the long, hard sludge up in life looks a lot more appealing.

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eastvanray

Roy,

The gangs we are facing here in the Lower Msainland of Vancouver are not typical of gangs in the US.  It is not that they come from poor families with no father and welfare collecting mothers.  These are truly criminal entrepreneurs.  They have many choices in life and they choose crime (mostly drugs) because they can literally become millionaires if they survive the lifestyle.  We are talking about people living in million dollar houses; driving brand new Escalade's and Mercedes; they wear designer clothes and Rolex's. 

The size and profitability of the pot growing industry in BC (over $6 billion/year) is what they are all about.  When the money gets thaht big market share becomes important and that is why they are willing to kill and die for it.

I frankly do not think there is anything that can be done to get rid of gang activity as long as the prize for being successful is so large.  As long as people want to smoke pot there will be gangs willing to sell it to them.Legalize it and regulate it and the profit evaporates.  That alone will not get rid of gangs but it will take their largest source of revenue away.  In that environment it may not seem as attractive to be a gangster.  Take them from rollin' up to the club in their custom Escalades to rollin' through the drive through window at McDonalds in their Pintos: then we might have a chance to get rid of them.  As long as they have more resources, better guns and better lawyers we will continue to lose this battle.

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TMNK

Sadly the death toll continues to rise and seemingly NOBODY CARES.

caring for the least of us, offers the greatest hope for all of us.  - TMNK

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Geneva B

I do agree with some of what eastvanray says about gangs in Vancouver being quite different from U.S. counterparts. I selected some photos from various areas to make a point that the gangs are everywhere, I believe it is a systemic issue. Barry, I was alerted you don't like too many photos so feel free to let me know if you'd like any to be removed.

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Barry Artiste

Hey I do not mind anyone adding relevant photos to the story, so add away.

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eastvanray

I added a picture of the most successful gang in the world

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Barry Artiste

Thanks everyone for your comments, as Eastvan says, they made their choices, many of these gangs come from already middle class or wealthy families.

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car1edb

Isn't half the culture/lifestyle about "fronting" and being to be known as a "man about town"/mover and shaker? like the rest of "us" gotta keep up with the jones's - but its not the washing machine and 3bed house they're into -more like, the $$, guns, girls, violence, tinted suv's and getting away with what ever they do... the high-risk living sure has a buzz of some sort.

Its an underground non-conformist culture, and always is an attractive option to some people.

Watch any of those glorifcation TV shows you have here.

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Blue Crush
First Flagged at 6:07 AM, Feb 20, 2009 by Blue Crush
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