HELPING TO DRIVE OFF GANGS

An amendment to the provincial Traffic Safety Act gives police the
power to order safety inspections of armoured vehicles, allowing them
to immediately seize those driven by gangs. The move is a positive,
pre-emptive strike against organized crime, even though it offers
little practical use to local police. The vehicles have never been
spotted here, but they are the luxury car of choice for gangsters in
B. C.

As the UN World Drug Report showed earlier this week, organized crime
knows no borders. " Tough measures," in the U.S., according to the
report, have pushed drug operations into Canada, making it now a major
producer of ecstasy.

Those using armoured vehicles for legitimate purposes have little to
worry about. The law applies only to vehicles with after-market
modifications of bulletproof glass and armour, made without the
required safety measures.

The real risk is allowing rival gangs to drive around in armoured
vehicles, ready to do battle with each other at any moment.

More than close a loophole, it keeps our streets safe and sends the
right message to those thinking about bringing their criminal activity
to Alberta. Don't bother.