TAKING A STAND AGAINST CRIME

City's Anti-Gang Program May Be Symbolic But It's A Start

Biker gang members are no longer welcome in the City of Grande Prairie.

The truth is, they never were, but in the past the city was
hardpressed to do much about it but sit back and watch as bikers
cruised in and around our city.

On at least two occasions in recent memory, biker runs have been held
in the area and, short of giving a few of the bikers citations for
traffic violations, the bikers pretty much had their run of the city
- -- as long as they stayed out of trouble.

It was an eerie sight for Grande Prairie residents -- the bad guys
roaring through town and thumbing their noses and almost daring the
authorities to do something about it.

But that may no longer be the case after Monday, when city council
adopted a program entitled No Gang Colours, No Gang Clothing.

Under the voluntary program , the city will lend its support to any
business that wants to participate in, essentially, what is a ban of
gang colours in city facilities and commercial establishments that
come on board.

The city is covering the cost of printing signage for the program,
which businesses can get for free to display on their premises. The
signs will make it clear to any bikers and biker wannabes that anyone
wearing gang colours will be in violation of the Property Act and
Petty Trespass Act.

If the business owner's request for the offensive clothing to be
removed from the premises is not adhered to, the violator will be
subject to a fine.

With fines of up to $2,000 for a first offence and as high as $5,000
for subsequent offences, the penalties for those who want to force
the issue are not exactly loose change.

The program is similar to ones put into effect in a few Ontario
communities, including Toronto.

The city feels the program has some teeth because legal challenges to
it would be challenging the constitutional right for property owners
to dictate who is allowed on, or in, their premises.

Not that the city is expecting a legal battle anytime soon.

As Mayor Wayne Ayling says, those associated with biker gangs are not
likely to be fighting the city on this as they have bigger fish to fry.

And that is precisely the reason the city doesn't want them
associating with members of the public.

Gangs such as the Hells Angels, the Red Demons, and the Indian Posse
- -- to name a few -- who have set up shop in the area are doing so
because there's an opportunity to make some money through
prostitution and the sale of drugs, and whatever other schemes they
come up with.

One of the unfortunate byproducts of having a vibrant community is
that criminals gravitate to that situation.

The police know that, our city officials know that and most residents
know that as well.

We say most residents because, as Ald. Dwight Logan noted at Monday's
council meeting, there were some who supported the bikers during one
of their recent runs in our city and felt they were getting picked on
by police.

Logan's right when he says that this new program is about -- at least
initially -- winning the public relations battle with glorified
bikers who many still admire and think they're cool.

At the very least, if this programs helps to change that, it will
have proven its worth.