HOMICIDES DOWN BY ALMOST 50 PER CENT

There were far fewer homicides in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley
in 2010 than in 2009, when a vicious gang war led to bloodshed in the
first half of the year.

According to data compiled by The Vancouver Sun, there have been 40
homicides in the region, down from 76 last year.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team's RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr was
unavailable over the holidays to confirm the number.

The latest victim in Metro Vancouver was Paul Phelan, 43, who was found
dead on a Surrey street. Police said he was not involved in the drug trade.

Of the more high-profile homicides this year, one particularly chilling
death was that of Laura Szendrai, a 15-year-old girl who was beaten in
broad daylight at a Delta park on Sept. 25 and died the next morning in
hospital. The case remains unsolved and police have yet to reveal a
possible motive for the slaying to the public.

In Vancouver, there has been a substantial drop in the number of
homicides over the past two years, with nine victims so far in 2010,
compared with 19 victims in both 2008 and 2009, said Const. Jana
McGuinness of the Vancouver police.

"We have responded to fewer gang-related incidents during 2010 as
compared with 2009 when we declared a gang war was occurring,"
McGuinness said.

"Our efforts to stem gang violence continue unabated as we know that
public acts of gun violence are occurring across the Lower Mainland, and
the potential for innocent victims to be caught up in these incidents
exists."

McGuinness said police will be making more key arrest announcements
related to gang activity sometime in 2011.

In January 2009, a gang war erupted between rival groups over control of
the drug trade. Some of the known participants included the Red
Scorpions, the Independent Soldiers, the United Nations gang and the
Hells Angels.

Within a few months, more than 20 people across Metro Vancouver and the
Fraser Valley had been killed and more than 40 injured in shootings,
including the high-profile deaths of several gangsters' girlfriends.

Sgt. Shinder Kirk, of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit's
B.C. branch, noted, "Last year was a very significant period of extreme
violence" with numerous murders from January to March.

"We had a significant decrease in the same period in 2010."

Despite fewer homicides this year, authorities are increasingly
concerned a gang war could be brewing again in Metro Vancouver.

Violence has been escalating since Oct. 16, when known gangster and
convicted killer Gurmit Singh Dhak was gunned down in front of his wife
and children at Burnaby's Metrotown mall.

Following the shooting, Vancouver police issued an alert on the Friday
before Halloween weekend warning the public there may be gang activity
in the city.

Ten people were shot on Oak Street this month in what police described
as an outrageous display of gang violence on Vancouver's west side. No
arrests had been made in that shooting as of Friday.

"The Oak Street shooting put the community on edge and caused deep
concern for residents in the area. We share those concerns and are
continuing our efforts to find the people responsible for this terrible
crime," said McGuinness.

The CFSEU said in a Dec. 7 statement there had been an increase in gang
tensions and instability in Metro Vancouver.

Kirk confirmed Friday there "remains a general unrest in the gang
world," but noted authorities have undertaken an intense gang crackdown.

"There was significant enforcement effort put into play across the
region. As a result of that there were several arrests made by police
agencies across Metro Vancouver [and] numerous weapons were seized," he
said.

The latest arrests occurred last week when two men, including Dhak's
brother, were arrested in connection with that crackdown. Sukhveer Dhak,
26, was charged with one count of counselling to commit an indictable
offence and Christopher Chand, 38, is facing three gang-related charges.

Kirk said gang activity has shifted over the past few years from gang
member versus gang member to a world where other people are targeted,
including family members.