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OPERATION RECLAMATION

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bury head in sand

Youth Help Line

Operation Tarnish

Operation Impact

Operation Veritas

Operation Impact II

Project ‘Congraduations’

Operation Lodestar

Operation Reclamation

to be continued

Choose all that apply.

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GANGBUSTERSgangbusters (slang) - police engaged in combatting organized criminal groups or gangs; - with great impact, vigour, or zeal; energetically, effectively.

Backdrop

In 2008 the Abbotsford-Mission Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) was the murder capital of Canada, having a rate of 4.7 homicides per 100,000 residents (the Canadian average was 1.8). During that same year 29% of B.C.‘s homicides were gang related. A Statistics Canada report on homicides for the 10 year period from 1999 to 2008 also showed that more than 58% of Abbotsford-Mission homicides were committed with a firearm, the highest percentage of any CMA (ahead of the next closest CMA, Toronto at 45%).

In 2009 the Abbotsford-Mission CMA was again dubbed the murder capital of Canada (a rate of 5.2 homicides per 100,000 residents - the Canadian average was 1.8). Of those murdered in 2009 were two local high school students, Dilsher Gill (17 years old) and Joseph Randay (18 years old), as well as two other young men, Ryan Richards (19 years old) and Sean Murphy (21 years old). All four were believed to be connected to gang activity, some distant and tenuous.

With this backdrop, the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) launched a series of new crime prevention initiatives.

Youth Help Line

On May 14, 2009 APD Chief Bob Rich led a press conference to address community concerns around youth involvement in gang activity. A key component of the Chief’s message was that some of Abbotsford’s youth involved in gang activity and the drug trade were in significant danger. This was worthy of a public warning. The message to them was that they must speak to a parent, a teacher, a counselor, a coach or a police officer to change the direction of their lives. The APD, the City of Abbotsford, and the Abbotsford School District established a “Youth Help Line” to assist kids who wanted out. This line was routed to a police officer for 24/7 coverage. Parents, friends and youth involved in gang and drug activities were encouraged to call the number to break free of circumstances that put them at risk. A letter and flyer advising parents and others of this significant announcement were also distributed. Additional information and links were available at the City, School District, and APD websites.

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Operation Tarnish

In September 2009 the APD launched “Operation Tarnish: Taking the Shine off the Gang Lifestyle” to coincide with the start of the school year. The intention of this initiative was to prevent young people from being lured by the alleged appeal of a life that includes gangs and drugs. A core component of Operation Tarnish was a series of posters modeled after Health Canada’s warning labels. Because there is no soft sell for the anti-gang lifestyle, each poster contained a serious graphic and an engaging phrase using language familiar to youth. The objective of the posters was to generate thought, provoke dialogue and focus attention on this challenge facing the community. Operation Tarnish was a continuation of the commitment by the APD to do something about the problem. A new poster was released about every three weeks throughout the school year.

Operation Impact

In November 2009 the APD launched “Operation Impact – Warning, Informing and Encouraging”. This one hour audio-visual and presentation based program exposed secondary students (public and independent) not only to the realities that have been part of the previous initiatives but also focused on the positive accomplishments of the vast majority of the young people in the community.

Operation Veritas

In April 2010 the APD launched “Operation Veritas” (latin for truth), a series of short anti-gang videos to challenge the myth that gangs are as desirable and cool as the media, video games, and music portray them to be. The theme of each video was that criminal involvement is “senseless” and comes at a price. The videos depict both the real cost of criminal behaviour in terms of dollars and the life altering consequences that go far beyond the simple monetary costs. The videos then juxtapose these scenarios with the choice of a crime free lifestyle which the APD believes is “priceless”. The videos were also uploaded to YouTube and displayed on video screens in public buildings in the City of Abbotsford as well as in Abbotsford Secondary Schools. Many media and community partners agreed to host, link or publicize these videos. Local newspapers and radio stations demonstrated a strong commitment to the community by their generosity in promoting this campaign. All of the videos were filmed on location in Abbotsford and used community members supportive of the project rather than paid actors.

6,500+ students

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Operation Impact II

In May 2010 the APD took “Operation Impact II” into Abbotsford Middle Schools, both public and independent. The message to students was to make positive choices in life. Chief Bob Rich warned the students about the dangers of the gang and drug lifestyle while other messaging included bullying and building inner strength to enhance positive decision making.

Project ‘Congraduations’

In 2010 the Abbotsford School District released a survey involving more than 5,300 students in grades 8-12 that revealed only 16% of them perceived the adults in the community valued them. As one way of showing students that the APD valued them, Chief Bob Rich arranged for a letter be given to each graduate at their graduation ceremony congratulating them on their accomplishment. As well, Chief Bob Rich sent a personal video message to each Secondary School which could be played at the graduation ceremonies and ads were taken out in local newspapers.

Operation Lodestar

In September 2010 “Operation Lodestar” was launched. Lodestar means one who serves as a guide or model. Crime prevention starts at home. Preventative efforts should not be limited to schools and educational institutions where the focus is only on young people. Parents and other caregivers play a crucial role in public safety, and crime prevention should start at an early age. Chief Bob Rich, along with Mayor George Peary, invited all parents of Abbotsford school students to attend one of 13 community presentations. Eleven presentations were held at high schools while two were hosted at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. Three presentations were delivered in Punjabi. The presentations were intended to engage, educate and encourage parents. The session identified a number of things parents or caregivers could do to mitigate the risk factors leading to criminal behaviour, including:

1. setting the example2. being informed3. supporting school4. making the rules5. getting involved

2,000+ parents

5,500+ students

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OPERATION RECLAMATION

Extreme Makeover: “Gangsta Wrap”

“This Vehicle Was Seized From A Drug Trafficker”, written on both sides and the rear of the vehicle, delivers the message that proceeds and instruments of unlawful activity are subject to forfeiture. Civil forfeiture proceedings are separate from criminal law and do not rely on a finding of guilt, nor is the evidentiary standard as stringent as “beyond a reasonable doubt”. Instead, the evidentiary standard is a balance of probabilities. This particular vehicle was forfeited under BC’s Civil Forfeiture Act and the Province of British Columbia is allowing APD to use this vehicle for the purpose of supporting APD’s crime remediation and awareness programs in the community, especially those targeting youth. The H2 used for “Operation Reclamation” was seized from an individual involved in drug trafficking and firearms possession.

“10-85” - the 10 represents the year APD acquired the vehicle from the Civil Forfeiture Office while 85 represents the fleet unit number.

10-85 is also police radio code for “record of drugs”.

reclamation (n) - rescuing from error and returning to a rightful course

Personalized licence plate “ABBYPD” with www. and .ca represents APD’s internet website address.

“Easy Money Can Get You Hard Time” is based on an Operation Tarnish Poster.

“Gang Life Is A Dead End” originates from APD’s Operation Tarnish messaging initiative.

www.abbypd.ca

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“Got Bling?” was the winning poster submission in APD’s Operation Tarnish poster contest. The winner was a grade 10 student from W.J. Mouat, Teagan Plett.

“Be The Change” is an oft quoted statement from Ghandi, also highlighted in Operation Tarnish.

“Choose a Crime Free Lifestyle” is a constant piece of APD messaging, acknowledging life is about a series of choices.

“We’ll Catch You Ridin’ Dirty”. The term “ridin’ dirty” is slang for driving in an automobile with illegal drugs and/or firearms. This phrase also appeared on one of APD’s Operation Tarnish posters.

“Every Choice Has A Consequence” again recognizes the reality that choices come with consequences.

“Kids Learn What they Live” is based on APD’s Operation Lodestar parent/caregiver initiative. Included on this graphic are five important steps for effective parenting.

“Handguns and drug deals are frequent companions, but not good friends. Rip-offs happen. Shootings do to. Caveat emptor. Caveat venditor.

People get hurt. People get killed. Sometimes, the buyer. Other times, the seller.”

Ontario Court of Appeal in R. v. Simon, 2010 ONCA 754

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Messaging Matters

bumper stickers

bus benches

Youth are exposed to a variety of media that portray the criminal lifestyle as something to be glorified and admired. Media formats include movies, television, music, and video games. In an effort to intervene and prevent young people from being lured by the alleged appeal of a life that includes gangs and drugs, APD has launched several anti-gang, anti-drug, and anti-crime counter-messages. In addition to the messaging sent by active enforcement and intervention strategies APD officers engage in on a daily basis as they encounter youth who come into conflict with the law, the APD has also used other messaging formats to generate thought, provoke dialogue and focus attention on this challenge facing our community. Operation Reclamation adds to APD’s arsenal of message delivery. This vehicle is a rolling billboard and, according to industry specialists, 90% of travellers notice graphics on wrapped vehicles, which can generate 30,000 to 70,0000 daily vehicular impressions. Other messaging formats have included:

projection billboards

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APD’s cellblock area

jail cell ceiling

fingerprint room

mugshot backdrop

ice arena boards

school message boards

phone room

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local bars & pubs

post secondary hallways

Our Mission: To make Abbotsford the safest city in BC

Abbotsford Police Department

2838 Justice Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 3P5 Phone (604) 859-5225 Fax (604) 864-4809

“Protecting with Pride”

Bob Rich Chief Constable

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graduation letter

Abbotsford Heatgame night

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Debunking the Myth

strife - violent conflict; trouble; struggle.

Veritas goes big screen at the AESC

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Murder

64%

Gang/drug related murder

75%

Serious shots fired

65%

Youth crime

21%

Violent youth crime

30%

With tremendous community support, the Abbotsford Police Department has created a comprehensive anti-gang strategy that emphasizes both prevention and enforcement. The 15 person Gang Suppression Unit, which was formed in the Spring of 2010, has played a crucial role in community safety by making key arrests of gang involved individuals and through timely interdictions of criminal activities. Equally important is that this unit is constantly gathering and sharing intelligence with other law enforcement agencies to ensure that the police throughout the Province are equipped to deal with gangs that are not restricted by geographic, political or policing boundaries. The combination of effective enforcement with unparalleled anti-gang messaging and prevention programs has advanced the Abbotsford Police Department toward its mission of making Abbotsford the safest city in British Columbia.

We believe our comprehensive gang suppression strategy has made a difference in our community. The statistics demonstrate that our efforts are making an impact. That said, we recognize our work is far from over. In fact, in many ways we have only taken a few steps forward in a challenge that requires constant, concerted and continued attention. We gladly accept all that the challenge requires because we know our city and our youth are worth it.

www.abbypd.ca

A Comprehensive Gang Suppression Strategy

2009 to 2010