STOPPING STREET GANGS IN THEIR TRACKS

Police aiming to take proactive measures against gang
infiltration

Does Greater Sudbury have a problem with street gangs? Not yet, but
the warning signs show they are coming.

That's the message Greater Sudbury Police Inspector Bob Keetch, and
Anna Maria Barsanti, a former high school principal, are trying to
send out to the community.

The pair lead the Provincial Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy
(PAVIS) project, which aims to deter street gangs from taking root in
Greater Sudbury.

According to Keetch, police first noticed an increasing trend of
out-of-town drug dealers making stops in Greater Sudbury to sell their
wares. Through communication with other police departments in Ontario,
Greater Sudbury Police were able to identify these dealers as
belonging to street gangs - the vast majority who came from the
Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

"It's a disturbing trend," Keetch said, explaining that the drug
dealers found Greater Sudbury to be an easier market for their wares
because of the lack of anti-gang police initiatives, and lack of
organized rivals.

"We're being proactive, and trying to engage in mobilizing the
community prior to them becoming established."

The Greater Sudbury Police Service's Gangs and Guns Task Force (GGTF)
was created in 2008 as a result from the approval of the PAVIS
application. A year later, in December 2008, the first major results
from the GGTF were released.

Through the efforts of the GGTF, 166 people were charged with Criminal
Code and Controlled Drug and Substance Act (CDSA) charges, 30
individuals were arrested on outstanding warrants, 213 Criminal Code
charges and 342 CDSA charges were laid, three restricted weapons and
one stolen firearm were seized.

In addition, $236,260 in currency - allegedly gained through illegal
activities - was recovered. As well, 1,558 grams of cocaine, 598 grams
of crack cocaine, 1,840 Oxycontin pills, and 7,342 grams of marijuana
were seized.

Twelve of the people arrested as part of this sting were members of
street gangs, mostly operating out of the GTA.

The enforcement was only the first step in the PAVIS plan,
however.

"In a sense, we've (sent a message) from an enforcement standpoint,
saying 'there are risks in coming to our community and committing
illegal activity,' to try (to) decrease the likelihood of (gangs)
coming," Keetch said.

"It's also important we provide youths with alternative choices.
Generally, those alternative choices don't come from the police
department, they come from our community partners and social partners.
It's about engaging them."

As part of this second phase of initiative, the police are holding two
public presentations on street gangs, called "Gangs Are Here - A
Community Action Plan."

The first is on Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. at Sheridan Auditorium at Sudbury
Secondary School. It is free, and will feature guest speaker Ron
"Cook" Barrett, a street-gang specialist from the Albany Police
Department from New York. He started the Capital Region Gang
Prevention Program and Gang Prevention Centre, and teaches police,
educators and members of the public how to spot and counteract street
gangs.

The second presentation is a full-day workshop at the Heritage Hall at
the Caruso Club. There is a $25 registration fee to cover the cost of
the provided lunch.

In addition to a longer talk by Barrett, Clayton Thomas-Muller, from
Pukatawagan in northern Manitoba, a specialist in gang activity, will
speak.