PLENTY OF CHALLENGES FOR NEW CHIEF

Langley's new police chief, Supt. Derek Cooke, will have no shortage
of challenges as he takes over as officer in charge of Langley RCMP detachment.

Langley police have had many significant investigations over the past year.

Some of the biggest were dealing with several very serious cases that
are part of the much larger Lower Mainland gang war.

There was the very public execution of Kevin LeClair at the
Thunderbird Village shopping centre in February, and several other
gangland shootings. There was also a very serious beating
administered to a gang member.

Police have also been dealing with a raft of small-scale drug
dealers, some of whom have set up shop in Willoughby, in rental homes
that are scheduled to be torn down. These people have no respect for
anyone, and are public nuisances and dangers to anyone who happens to
come anywhere near them.

There have been a number of serious motorcycle crashes, and these are
not easy to investigate, given the severity of injuries that
motorcyclists involved in crashes suffer.

Break-ins and robberies continue at much the same pace as they have,
although police initiatives to put foot patrols in place in both
Aldergrove and Langley City's downtown have helped to make a difference.

Assaults continue as well, with many of them related to drunkenness
or drug taking. These are never easy for police to deal with, as they
often must endure very hostile hangers-on in these situations.

Police have also had more than their share of dealings with teens.
These have been a number of serious assaults involving teens, often
outside high schools. One particularly bad assault has led to a
father filing a lawsuit against the Township.

While it is easy to criticize police, due to the highly-controversial
nature of some of their work and the public scrutiny that they are
often under (and should be prepared to face in a democratic society),
it is also important to note that the vast majority of police
encounters with the public are professional. Their job is to strive
to resolve difficult issues in a peacful manner - and they usually succeed.

Langley RCMP officers generally have a good reputation with most
Langley citizens, and they maintain that reputation while performing
tasks that most of us would not want to do.