'GANG-FREE ZONE' IN CHILLIWACK?

Chilliwack businesses want to help police fight gang activities in
this area, but no concrete ideas have "bubbled forth" yet, said
Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce president Michael Berger.

"That's not to say there isn't interest, they just haven't bubbled
forth yet," he said.

But one idea of making Chilliwack a "gang-free zone," where businesses
would refuse service to known gang members, was discussed at a meeting
with city officials last year.

Assistant RCMP Commissioner Peter German also referred to the idea of
a "gang-free zone" here during a speech to the Chilliwack chamber Thursday.

Alex Macdonald, who said he attended the city hall meeting last year,
asked German what more the community can do to help police fight
gangs, like the members of Bar Watch are doing.

German agreed Bar Watch is "a great program" that has apparently
gotten under the skin of someone in the gang world, given the recent
drive-by shooting at Earls restaurant.

But the commissioner left it up to the community to decide what
further action should be taken.

Chilliwack Mayor Sharon Gaetz said yesterday that the city is looking
at a number of initiatives, and she will be meeting with other Metro
Vancouver mayors in the next few weeks to discuss the gang situation.

German told chamber members that drugs are fueling gangs, especially
in the Lower Mainland because it is so close to the U.S.

"We live within minutes of the largest illegal drug-consuming country
in the world," he said, and trading drugs for U.S. firearms is adding
fuel to the fire.

He said the current wave of violence stems from "internal strife"
among a few gang members, rather than a general gang war.

But in an interview after the meeting, German said it would be
"reasonable to assume" Chilliwack could see more gang activity in the
future.

"I think we have to, as a community, be prepared for a potential
increase in gang activity," he said.

But the community can also take some comfort in more visits from the
Integrated Gang Task Force, in part because of its new central
location in Surrey.

"I think you can say with some certainty there will be more visits
from the uniformed Task Force in Chilliwack as a result," he said.