The Province, anti-gang units and local police continue to make progress on British Columbia’s $23-million expanded Guns and Gangs Strategy.

Actions completed since Sept. 8, 2016, include:

• Creation of an Illegal Firearms Task Force: news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016PSSG0198-001813
• Launch of the provincewide Firearms Amnesty running from Oct. 1-31, 2016: news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016PSSG0121-001046

Cross-government efforts in addition to the Guns and Gangs Strategy:

• Participation on the UBCM panel re: gang violence and community safety: http://www.ubcm.ca/EN/meta/news/news-archive/2016-archive/gang-violence-in-our-communities.html
• As of Aug. 31, 2016, the Canada Border Services Agency in the Pacific Region made 23 fentanyl seizures totalling nearly 6,000 grams of the lethal drug, already surpassing the number of fentanyl seizures made in 2015. In addition to fentanyl, there have been two significant seizures of carfentanil in the Pacific region this year.

Significant local enforcement announcements in September and October 2016:

• Fifth man wanted in connection with CFSEU-BC’s investigation into an alleged drug trafficking network in B.C.’s Peace region arrested: http://www.cfseu.bc.ca/update-fifth-man-wanted-in-connection-with-alleged-drug-trafficking-network-arrested-at-a-traffic-stop-in-150-mile-house/
  • For all recent news releases related to this investigation, please visit: http://www.cfseu.bc.ca/category/press-releases/ ).
• Abbotsford Police Department and the RCMP Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response (CLEAR) Team conduct search warrant and discover large meth lab: http://www.abbypd.ca//files/File/myAssets/1858/2016-10-04%20Large%20Meth%20Lab%20on%20Mt.%20Lehman%20Road.pdf
• Vancouver Police Department arrest man with grenades and other prohibited weapons: http://mediareleases.vpd.ca/2016/09/23/police-find-man-with-grenades/
• Abbotsford Police Department respond to weapons call at Abbotsford airport: http://www.abbypd.ca//files/File/myAssets/1858/2016-09-19%20Update%20to%20Weapons%20Call%20at%20Airport.pdf
• Kelowna RCMP Street Enforcement Unit - search warrant yields guns and drugs: http://kelowna.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2087&languageId=1&contentId=48216
• Langley RCMP find hoard of guns and stolen items: http://langley.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=116&languageId=1&contentId=48164
• Chilliwack RCMP Crime Reduction Unit shuts down alleged dial-a-dope ring: http://bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2087&languageId=1&contentId=48147

Actions ongoing and underway:

• Identifying specialized officers and staff who will form two new 10-person gang disruption and interdiction teams within the Combined Special Forces Unit – British Columbia (CFSEU-BC).
• Staffing a new Office of Crime Reduction and Gang Outreach.
• Surrey Crown counsel’s work to dedicate two full-time prosecutors and a paralegal to prioritizing cases linked to guns and gangs.
• The development of the Crime Stoppers initiative focused on firearms.

Cross government work underway in addition to the Guns and Gangs Strategy:

• Developing a gang-exit pilot program for adults, to become operational in fall 2016.

Recent, upcoming and ongoing local efforts to engage and inform parents and community members:

• Delta Police Department Fentanyl Forums Sept. 14 and Sept. 15, 2016: http://deltapolice.ca/media-releases/2016/09/media-advisory-fentanyl-forums/
• Civil Forfeiture Program 10th anniversary event celebrates work done to combat gun and gang activity by taking away criminal proceeds and investing in outreach, intervention and awareness programs for youth: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016PSSG0190-001682 
• Surrey RCMP host fall neighbourhood safety meetings on Sept. 20, 2016 and Oct. 13, 2016: http://bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2126&languageId=1&contentId=48096
• Maple Ridge Community Fentanyl Forum on Oct. 5, 2016: https://mapleridge.ca/1576/Community-Fentanyl-Forum
• End Gang Life school presentations by CFSEU-BC approximately every two weeks. To date, 42 presentations reaching more than 15,000 students, including every middle and high school student in Kelowna and Nanaimo. cfseu.bc.ca/end-gang-life/
• The Surrey Wrap Around Safe Schools Program in partnership with the Surrey school district, Surrey RCMP and the City of Surrey to help keep at-risk youth out of the gang and criminal lifestyle - approximately 100 B.C. youths participating.  http://surrey.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=73&languageId=1&contentId=8915

Additional resources:

• Youth & Gangs - A Parents Resource booklets available in English, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Tagalog, Somali, Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Spanish - soon to be available in Farsi and Hindi: cfseu.bc.ca/end-gang-life/end-gang-life-multilingual-booklets/
• The Surrey RCMP Parent Helpline at 604 599-7800 is available to parents who are concerned about their children becoming involved in illegal activities: http://surrey.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=1484&languageId=1&contentId=46508