The Province, anti-gang units and local police continue to make progress with work underway on B.C.’s nearly $30-million expanded Guns and Gangs Strategy.

ACTIONS COMPLETED SINCE THE LAST UPDATE PROVIDED ON JAN. 19, 2017, INCLUDE:

• Launch of a new Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Community Safety Model supported by an additional $2.8 million over two years. Key actions in the model complement work underway and  include the development of a Cariboo-Chilcotin WRAP program for at-risk or gang-involved youth: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017PSSG0015-000272
• The Criminal Justice Branch dedicates two full-time Surrey prosecutors and a paralegal to prioritize cases linked to guns and gangs.

ADDITIONAL GUNS AND GANGS STRATEGY ACTIONS ONGOING AND UNDERWAY: 

• Staffing of the new Office of Crime Reduction and Gang Outreach.
• Illegal Firearms Task Force work to develop recommendations to inform government.
• Development of a Crime Stoppers public awareness campaign.

Significant local enforcement announcements since Jan.19, 2017:

• New integrated Prolific Prohibited Driver Team with the BC RCMP Lower Mainland Traffic Services traffic stop nets prohibited weapons and grenade: http://bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2087&languageId=1&contentId=50146
• Surrey RCMP arrest three individuals and seize thousands of dosages of street level drugs, including suspected fentanyl, and approx. $16,000 in cash following a two-month investigation: http://surrey.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2126&languageId=1&contentId=49927
• Cranbrook RCMP seize a substantial amount of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and cash: http://cranbrook.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2130&languageId=1&contentId=49798
• Charges approved for two individuals after CFSEU-BC’s Uniform Gang Enforcement Team (UGET) seize restricted firearm and drug paraphernalia: http://www.cfseu.bc.ca/traffic-stop-in-surrey-results-in-the-arrest-of-two-individuals/
• New Westminster alleged drug trafficker charged following multi-agency investigation: http://www.nwpolice.org/blog/2017/01/12/alleged-drug-trafficker-charged/
• Kelowna RCMP raid drug house and seize suspected cocaine, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine and over 300 various pills, as well as replica handgun and other materials consistent with drug trafficking: http://bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2087&languageId=1&contentId=49772
• Kelowna RCMP’s Street Enforcement Unit and Police Dog Services seize cocaine, hash and $4,000 in cash from motel in Lake Country: http://bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2087&languageId=1&contentId=49777
• Two men in custody after Port Hardy RCMP seize firearms, drugs and cash: http://porthardy.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2130&languageId=1&contentId=49746
• Violent prolific offender arrested by Nanaimo RCMP with loaded semi-automatic shotgun, cocaine and crystal meth: http://www.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=876&languageId=1&contentId=49690
• Oceanside RCMP raid drug house and seize significant amount of cocaine, heroin, cash and firearms: http://oceanside.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2130&languageId=1&contentId=49678

Cross-government and community actions that support the Guns and Gangs Strategy completed since Jan. 19, 2016, include:

• A forfeited gang vehicle gets a new life supporting West Vancouver Police youth and anti-gang programs: https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/forfeited-gang-vehicle-gets-new-life-supporting-west-vancouver-police-youth-programs
• Surrey RCMP issue reminder about air guns and dangers of air guns that look like actual firearms: http://surrey.bc.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=2126&languageId=1&contentId=50127
• 139 RCMP narcotics dogs receive fentanyl detection training: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2017/31/rcmp-dogs-join-battle-fentanyl
• Victoria High’s Parent Advisory Council with support from Victoria Police organized a parent and student information night on the dangers of opioid use and the criminal activity associated with the illegal drug trade: https://vichigh.sd61.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/01/Parent-Discussion-Key-messages-and-Resources-WEB.pdf
• Kamloops RCMP visit South Kamloops Secondary school to interact with youth and build positive relationships with law enforcement.
• Nearly 100 First Nations communities have received overdose prevention training and information to help support conversations about drug use and how to reach users being preyed upon by those in the illegal drug trade.

Ongoing local efforts to engage and inform parents and community members:

• CFSEU-BC’s End Gang Life school presentations – a provincewide anti-gang prevention campaign consisting of short videos, posters and radio PSA’s. To date, CFSEU-BC has presented the campaign to over 20,000 students including every middle and high school student in Nanaimo and Kelowna: cfseu.bc.ca/end-gang-life/
• Led by CFSEU-BC with support from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the $1M two-year Gang Exit Pilot was created to support young gang entrenched adults who are serious about making a change: http://www.cfseu.bc.ca/end-gang-life/b-c-gang-exit-pilot/
• 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:

• The Understanding Youth & Gangs – A Parents Resource booklet is 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