Awesome to see a proactive police presence in P.G. I hope they make the drug pusher scumbags' lives a little more difficult this week end.
metalman.

I thought when they took over the old Kal tire building on 20th they were going to aggressively pursue gangs and drugs from that location. I wouldn't want to see the cost for all these ineffective extra cops.

Isn;t it time that cst smith do some actualy policework...how long here in pg...too many cops have been here too long and are complacent.. then the task force would not have to travel up here from the lowermainland and charge huge amounts on their expense accounts. Do we know if prince george detachment pays for their services or is it the province...

what if the gym or the club owners etc actually want or do not care if reputed gang members are in their facilities, as long as they pay their bills or for their drinks or behave themselves... It,s up to the business owners to be on board with this type of program the gang task force does...if not, they are powerless. You can,t bully anyone out of a bar or gym or anywhere if the invitation for them to be there stands. Charter of rights 101.

Good point Imorge,and bang on.
I know of another town on the coast where the local gym was a known strong hold for the biggest and most dangerous gang.
The owners of the gym were well aware of it.
There was also a cafe just down the street that was a stronghold as well.
Actually,everyone in town knew it,including the cops,but there was not much they could do about it without the support of the business owners.
It is really is all about the money, and it is amazing what business owners(and people in general) will tolerate if there is enough cash involved.
I think the cops do what they can,but without the support of the people and business owners in the community,they are fighting an uphill battle.

Makes one wonder about the ownership of these businesses. The police where at one time going to release the names of businesses in towm owned by gangs but they got out lawyered and could not do it.

The best bet is to use highly skilled surveillance people with state of the art equipment to keep an eye on the players and be in instant contact with uniformed members or the prolific target team who can then swoop down and make arrests. Catch them in the act. Unfortunately, the hours that these teams work do not jive with the hours the gangs do their thing. There is also an ego battle between some of the inter groups of law enforcement...some team will not share information with general duty members who are out there..and in many cases are perfectly able to come in and do the arrests. Poor communication and egos. Drop the crap and get the job done.

Sounds like the same old BS more cops in town for the weekend ...I bet speeding tickets and seat belt tickets and any other heavy duty crimes that raise money in the form of fines will be up for sure. Need to pay for the trip some way.....

Hope laws change so we don't need them. Waste of time and money chasing em.

So what do these gang uniforms look like?

"They will be visiting public places where gang members and their associates are known to frequent."

So$ it is like "you know who we are and we know who you are."

Then what? Is that supposed to be some sort of intimidation game?

I suppose one can look at is as today's version of cops and robbers.

Cst L. Smith is a class act! She's intelligent, hard working, and family oriented.
No, I am not a cop, and no, I am not affiliated with the RCMP.
Like most of us in this city, I struggle with all the added bills, and subtle increases, and the HST just pisses me off.

However, were it possible to clone Cst Smith, our city would be better off.

I am not familiar with the Uniformed Gang Task Force, and have no pressing need to explore the reduced supply of cocaine due to issues in Mexico.
Do I think our city is experiencing more violence? (Despite stats saying otherwise.)
Yep.....violence is up.

Just out of curiosity, is there anyway someone can find out how I go about getting a few hydrophonic (sp?) lights donated to me from the proceeds of drug busts? Here in the north, the garden season is so short, and I'd love to grow basil year round.

I agree IAM...Cst. Smith "IS" a class act.
I have known her for awhile now. Oh I am not a police officer or affiliate either.

Nor do I think I am above the law...if I get a ticket it is because..."I DESERVED IT"..It is not the officers fault as so many like to blame.

I would love to see some of the people who think the police officer's job is so easy to try it for awhile....I guarantee their thought pattern will change, and maybe then they would not continuing talking out of their butts.

And yes there are bad cops, bad lawyers, bad doctors, bad priests, bad press, and just bad all round people.... and the press seem to like to run with anything police related as of late....

From the FBI page which describes its program of "public safety" regarding gang activities

In January 1992, we announced the Safe Streets Violent Crime Initiative, designed to allow each field office to address violent street gangs and drug-related violence through the establishment of FBI sponsored, long-term, proactive task forces focusing on violent gangs, crime of violence, and the apprehension of violent fugitives. The Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force became the vehicle through which all of the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies joined together to address the violent crime plaguing their communities. The FBI’s Safe Streets and Gang Unit administers 160 Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Forces.

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/ngic/natgangtfs.htm
===========================

From the RCMP page about the same type of program initiated 12 years laer:

"The BC Integrated Gang Task Force was created in October 2004 to address ongoing gang violence within the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, and the Province of British Columbia. The joint management structure brings together resources from Vancouver Police, RCMP, Abbotsford Police, Delta Police, New Westminster Police, Port Moody Police and West Vancouver Police.

Their mandate is to target individuals or groups that pose a significant risk to public safety by prosecuting, disrupting and dismantling crime groups through unified enforcement.

BC IGTF is a prime example of inter-agency cooperation, with all levels of police agencies sharing intelligence on individuals or groups that have been identified as belonging to gangs, to ensure all communities are protected."

http://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=131&languageId=1&contentId=1413

So what do I, as a member of the general public who knows squat about this, learn from this?

1. Gangs are a new thing to hit us?
2. The police are co-operating within their forces and with other forces?
3. Police are fighting gang crimes?

I really do not care how they organize themselves, how they do their job, who is who in the scheme of things.

I want to know that they are effective by seeing the results of the activities - the arrests, the convictions, and the reduction of inter gang related violent crime in public spaces.

And I am not singling out the police in this. Any other program of community interest, whether it is air quality, road quality, park quality, downtown quality, park quality, etc. etc.

Show me the results. I do not care who is in charge, all the names of managers working with them, how they structure themselves, etc.

As Sgt. Friday said: "Just the fact, Ma'm, just the fact".

The Task force was in operation in town last night and seized a weapon from a vehicle which had pulled into the parking lot of a local establishment. The Driver and passenger of that vehicle o occupants may be facing charges.


Why is the word "may" being used here.

I believe the crown decides.

Sounds to me they were not arrested either.

It says "weapon". It does not say "firearm". Even if it did, it may be a non restricted one or properly licensed one.

We really do not know.

What we can likely take away from this is that the RCMP did not know either to the extent that they were not able to arrest them for "allegedly" breaking a law.

It could have been a crowbar. May does not mean will. If they weren,t arrested, i doubt charges were laid.

Then get her on the road!

I'm not associated with any gangs or their members, but I certainly know some businesses that are. I also know that these gangs work as very intimidating collection agents for some businesses. They do not dress like gang members and they drive pricey, but not 'flashy' vehicles. The cops can arrest as many as they like but money talks; even in court.
Ask any lawyer.

From 5 years ago in Kelowna.

http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/features/nna/story.html?id=2be22008-6589-4fcc-a46d-ffb93acd11c4

Pretty straight forward with the reporting there.