Pubdate: Sat, 26 Aug 2006
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 Calgary Herald
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Jamie Komarnicki, Calgary Herald

CHIEF VOWS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR GANGS WAGING DRUG WARS

Out-of-province organized crime groups staking their drug turf in
Calgary should expect zero tolerance from police, Chief Jack Beaton
said Friday, pledging to run the criminals out of the city.

"We'll know them right away, and we'll be on them from the day they
get here. What happens to the criminals that live here -- they know we
watch them every day. These new criminals that are coming here can
expect the same kind of treatment," Beaton said, speaking after a
graduation ceremony for new police recruits Friday.

"We'll be on them every day. They'll get to see our smiling faces
until they leave our city."

In the last two months, Calgary has seen seven shootings, many of them
related to an increasingly profitable drug trade here. Organized crime
groups from British Columbia have been linked to two of Calgary's four
shootings in the past few weeks.

But Beaton said the recent gun violence -- some of which took place in
broad daylight -- is unacceptable.

"We've arrested a number of people, executed a number of search
warrants, and we want everybody that's responsible to be held
accountable."

This kind of activity is cyclical, Beaton said, noting that in the
past it was motorcycle gangs that came to Calgary and were driven out.

The police investigative unit restructured approximately two years ago
to be able to switch quickly, channelling resources to deal with
emerging trends, Beaton said, and that's what they'll use to deal with
the current gang violence issue.

But even if police up the ante dealing with gangs, said John
Winterdyk, head of justice studies at Mount Royal College, the
criminals will still likely find it worthwhile to target Calgary.

"Law enforcement only has so much resources, and crime, when there's
so much opportunity, to a lot of (criminals), it's worth the risk."

Networking between the provinces and other law enforcement agencies is
also essential in dealing with out-of-town gangs, he said, but one of
the biggest keys to cracking crime is the public itself.

"The public needs to be more aggressive, finding ways in terms of
assisting the police but not getting directly involved."

That means taking an active role informing police, he
said.

"People are sometimes afraid to come forward because of course, some
of these people are dangerous," Beaton said. "We need the public to
come forward. We want to assure them we'll take care of them. Without
their co-operation and support we won't be able to solve all of these."

He said his biggest concern is that an innocent bystander may get
shot. But he said the community should feel safe and assured that
police are arresting people and putting them in jail.

Brazen, daylight shootings are a taunt both to rival gangs and to law
enforcement officials, Winterdyk said.

"Until a group can firmly establish itself, we'll continue to see
these turf wars taking place. If the police can infiltrate and break
up these groups before they truly establish themselves, we'll continue
to see the cycles of violence erupting sporadically." 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Steve Heath