FORCE TARGETS STREET VIOLENCE

VANCOUVER - With shootings becoming increasingly common on the
streets, police have formed a rapid deployment anti-gang unit of 20
officers designed to "surge and purge" the streets of gang-related violence.

Supt. Kash Heed said the Gang Violence Task Force that became
operational Wednesday night will "target players involved in gang
behaviour and gunplay."

The unit will be active in the downtown entertainment zone, which
attracts what Heed described as "weekend gangsters," many from out of town.

The announcement followed yet another public shooting on Tuesday
evening when a 26-year-old Vancouver male was gunned down at Cambie
Street and West Hastings Street at about 9:15 p.m.

Details of the shooting released by police Wednesday include
now-familiar elements: a targeted shooting and a male, well known to
police and involved in the illegal drug business.

This unidentified victim was shot three times and was found lying on
the street. He is expected to recover and investigators are following
leads they are keeping to themselves, said spokesman Const. Howard Chow.

Heed said the shootings are "causing senseless tragedy and
contributing to a sense of fear" in the community.

He said there is a perception in the community that the number of
shootings has increased -- something he didn't deny -- and even went
on to add that not all the drive-by shootings of houses or vehicles
are being reported and made public.

"We have a duty to respond to that perception so our citizens feel
safe but there has been a recent spike lately and we're responding to
that and we are going to target our problem in a very proactive
fashion," he said.

Heed said the unit will concentrate on stopping cars believed to
contain armed gang members.

"Our objective is to maximize the number of vehicles stopped and to
use field interrogation techniques to put these people on notice that
we are out there in greater force with a specific focus on them.

"There will be an immense concentration on locating and seizing
firearms and we anticipate an increase in gun seizures and subsequent
decrease in gun-related violence in Vancouver," said Heed.

He said the task force is charged with "gathering real-time
intelligence and crime data from a variety of sources, analyzing the
information and then rapidly deploying officers on strategically
identified gang hot spots and offenders."

Heed said the unit will include uniformed patrol officers, tactical
officers, experienced gang detectives and "less traditional covert
means of identifying and arresting offenders."

"The initiative is designed to take full advantage of the large
field-based officers that we have on our streets each day," he said.

The task force will also draw on the resources of the Integrated Gang
Task Force -- an RCMP-municipal police unit tackling gang violence
throughout the Lower Mainland.

Heed said the justice system has been asked to seek maximum sentences
for persons involved in gang-related violence.

"We know that targeted enforcement of individuals involved in gang
behaviour will deter their blatant criminal activity and will
ultimately have the desired effect of making this city a safer place," he said.

With many of the shootings taking place in public it was fortunate
"more innocent people had not been harmed," he said.

Heed said 10 years ago much of the gang violence was Indo-Canadian
based, but today gang members come from various ethnic groups.

He said the shootings are related to the availability of guns within
the criminal community and the immense amounts of money generated by
the illicit drug trade.

Heed said police won't attempt to bar known gangsters from coming
into the city.

"We're not saying you cannot come into Vancouver -- we're not going
to disregard their rights -- we're saying when you come into
Vancouver you will catch our attention so you must behave."