Pubdate: Thu, 20 Oct 2005
Source: Portage la Prairie Daily Graphic (CN MB)
Copyright: 2005 Portage la Prairie Daily Graphic
Contact:  http://www.portagedailygraphic.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1993
Author: Teresa Falk
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)

RCMP USE COMMUNITY POLICING, PUBLIC EDUCATION TO COMBAT GANGS

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE -- With gang violence in the spotlight in the provincial 
capital recently, Portage la Prairie RCMP are hoping public awareness and 
education will combat the problem here.

"We are aware that there is a problem here in the city," said Insp. Ken 
Turner, head of the Portage detachment. "There's evidence in some of the 
tagging that's been going on in city limits."

Tagging is a gang marking its territory with graffiti which includes its 
symbol or name, said Turner.

Gang violence has been in the spotlight after a 17-year-old bystander died 
last week when he was caught in the middle of a gang gunfight in the west 
end of Winnipeg.

Turner said any gangs are a problem, but they're not a new problem in Portage.

"Gangs are more visible today and more topical," he said.

The police refer to a gang as a group of people who are associated with 
crime, noted Sgt. Jim Mirza. He said most gang members are over the age of 
18, but they recruit from the teenage crowd because youth often want to 
belong to some kind of group.

"The peer pressure for acceptance may or can draw many young people into 
gangs," he said.

Turner said the best step parents can take to prevent their child from 
joining a gang is to open the lines of communication with them.

"The advice to parents is know where your kids are and know what they're 
doing and be involved with your kids," he said, adding they should take 
note of changes, such as a child suddenly dressing differently.

Part of the RCMP's proactive approach to the gang problem is educating 
youth, through such means as Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) and 
Adopt-A-Mountie programs in the schools.

Turner believes education is key.

"We're doing the education part with our youth and that helps," he said.

Const. Dave Spakowski, Portage RCMP's community policing/media liaison 
officer, oversees the comprehensive 10-week DARE program that teaches 
students in grades 5 and 6 how to resist social pressures, like drugs, 
alcohol, violence and gangs.

"I would say DARE is a good preventative measure that we take," Spakowski said.

DARE is currently running in four schools: Yellowquill, La Verendrye, West 
Park and Long Plain. Spakowski said the program will start in five more 
schools in the new year, educating about 260 area students.

Hazen Barrett, assistant superintendent of Portage la Prairie School 
Division, said the division hasn't faced any gang-related problems so far 
this year.

"In recent times, we haven't had that much problems with gang activity in 
the schools," he said. "We realize there's probably influences there. 
That's always present, no matter where you are."

The division has a violent and aggressive behaviour policy which addresses 
gang behaviour. It bans gang-related insignia, which includes "any article 
of clothing, jewelry or other similar item that is intended to communicate 
an association with a gang or gang-related activity." The policies have 
been in place since the early 1990s.

"Staff have been really good about enforcing those policies in terms of 
gang membershiping (recruiting) and gang insignia," said Barrett.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom