Abbotsford News Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Teaming up
against gangs
saturday night S
ORGANIZED CRIME AND GANGS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA In 1980, law enforcement listed just a handful of gangs and organized crime groups operating in British Columbia. Today, it is estimated that 188 criminal groups exist in a province where the gang and organized crime landscape is enterprise-driven. Gangs are no longer based on ethnicity. Due to sustained law enforcement efforts, they are reluctant to identify themselves. Even outlaw motorcycle gangs like the Hells Angels are reluctant to wear their “colours” regularly.
Over the years and today:
ix members of the Uniform Gang high-risk individuals who think nothing of Enforcement team wind their way carrying guns and knives into public places. through the crowded downtown Sgt. Jordan’s hometown is Abbotsford, once street. The gang enforcement teams, dubbed as the murder capital of Canada and in their distinctive dark uniforms, are the home to the notorious Bacon Brothers. high-profile public face of the Combined “I have four kids and during that time I Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British told them they couldn’t go out to the malls or Columbia (CFSEU-BC)—the province’s antithe movie theatres,” he says, adding it was gang police unit. a challenging time for his city. But, that’s all The uniform gang enforcement team had its changed now thanks to an aggressive provingenesis in 2007 to counteract a growing numcial anti-gang strategy led by CFSEU-BC and ber of violent gang incidents throughout the an equally aggressive and homegrown stratLower Mainland. Bullets were flying, public egy led by Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich. safety was at risk and something had to be Sgt. Jordan’s experiences in his hometown done. are part of the reason he is so Formerly called the Violence passionate about the public Uniform teams by the Suppression Team (VST) safety work he does at CFSEUnumbers (2012) and initially based out of the BC. Vancouver Police Department, “These are violent people who Persons checked 3,916 the integrated patrol-based pose a significant risk to public Vehicles checked 1,630 safety.” model quickly became a success. He adds that officers don’t Bar removals 505 The rate of violent incidents in Arrests remove just anyone from an 258 public places began to drop, the establishment. “There has to Charges 149 bars and restaurants got onbe some component of recent board and it’s been a key comviolence in their backgrounds,” Patrol calls covered 717 ponent of the guns and gangs he says. Curfew checks 145 strategy ever since. Later that evening, the ofOn average, CFSEU-BC’s unificers begin a tour of the clubs formed officers will check about 4,000 people and restaurants around Vancouver’s hotspots. in a year. About 12 per cent of those checks They spot a known associate on the dance will result in the removal of individuals from floor who is oblivious to the scrutiny coming a premise at the request of a property owner from the officers. Wearing flashy white-framed or for some other Criminal Code offence. glasses, memorable white leather shoes, exOf all the people checked in a year, 6.4 per pensive jeans, a tailored shirt, and big jewelry cent will result in an arrest. – he isn’t hard to miss. Constable Mike Clark In addition to regular patrols around Metro asks him to hand over his driver’s licence and Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, the gang the information is punched into a portable enforcement team will travel to communities laptop computer linked to a police database. around British Columbia to assist municipal They get a hit. It turns out the man’s son is a departments and detachments with their gang greater threat to public safety than the dad, so suppression efforts. he’s allowed back inside the club this time. “Our foremost concern is to protect the pubIt’s nearly 2 a.m. and the night is winding lic from gang violence,” explains Sergeant down. The team members return to the office Mark Jordan, who has led one of CFSEU-BC’s where they will do another couple of hours of uniform teams for the last four years. They paperwork before the shift ends. deal with situations that most people would Tomorrow night they will be back on the rightly run from as they often interact with streets to do it all over again. They can’t wait.
1990s - Ethnic-based gangs T Indo-Canadian, Asian and Middle Eastern Late 1990s – 2000s: Multi-Ethnic gangs T United Nations gang, Red Scorpions (Bacon Brothers), Independent Soldiers 2010 – 2013: Enterprise groups T Business alliances of groups that were at one time opposing one another T Less emphasis on initiation and branding T Multiple crime groups coming together to share expertise in order to capture illicit markets
Gang-related homicides in BC 2006-2012
36
32 23 18
18
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
9
2007
9
2006
All homicides relating to organized crime groups, including OC members, family members and/or any innocent bystanders during an incident. Victims who were targeted as a result of their involvement or association with all levels of organized crime groups. Homicides as a result of gang disputes, external and internal conflicts, vendetta, intimidation, enforcement, retaliation.
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CFSEU-BC photo
Constables Ryan Miller and Mike Clark question a potential gang associate while on patrol in the Granville entertainment district. Their aim is to ensure the bars and restaurants around the province are safe to visit.