OPERATION IMPACT : ABBOTSFORD POLICE HIT SCHOOLS

As students from Abbotsford Traditional Secondary noisily clamber onto
the bleachers for their assembly Thursday, animated chatter bounces
off the walls.

Teachers have to work to get them to quiet down before the
presentation starts.

There is little preamble.

Abbotsford Police Sgt. Mike Novakowski stands up, introduces himself,
and simply says, "I want you to watch this video."

The words "Every choice has a consequence," flash across the
screen.

Footage follows of a sombre address by Abbotsford Police Chief Bob
Rich at a May press conference.

"I am issuing an warning to all young people engaged in the sale of
drugs at any level. You are at risk ... you need to get and you need
to get out now."

The sound of a heart rate monitor flat lining echoes through the
gym.

Newscast images of four young men - two of them high school students -
murdered this year in spiral of gang violence flicker across the screen.

There's a little more talk and the video ends with the words, "There's
never a wrong time to do the right thing."

As the lights go up, Novakowski addresses a now silent crowd of
teens.

"We're here because we care," he tells students.

Snapping out a yellow sheet used to cover corpses and laying it out on
the floor, he continues.

"You are why we are here. We never want to cover your body with a
sheet.

"We don't want to have to drive to your parents' house and tell them
you've been killed."

Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich steps up and tells students gang
rules have changed.

Low level players and girlfriends, formerly not victims of violence,
are now "legitimate" targets.

Amir Javid, a former gang member, tells the teens they have the power
to turn their backs on gangs.

"You're the hope," he says, pointing at the students.

That message is seconded by Novakowski, who adds he knows most kids
are "great kids."

"You can choose how you are going to live your life," he
says.

"It's your life. What are you going to do?"