The provincial body count may be at an all-time low so far this year.
But don’t be fooled, gang activity and its violent outcomes are alive and well in many B.C. communities, including Richmond.
That’s the view of the Combined Forces Enforcement Unit — the province’s dedicated anti-gang organization.
“What’s happening in Richmond, and has been for a while now, is things are not very overt,” said Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, CFEU’s spokesman. “Gangsters do business in Richmond all the time. Gangsters live in Richmond.”
However, Richmond has, to date, avoided some of the open air violence seen taking place in communities such as Surrey and Vancouver.
Currently, none of the four homicides being investigated in Richmond so far this year are officially linked to gangs — but that’s just officially.
“There has to be some motivation related to gang activity in order for us to classify it as such,” Houghton said, adding killings of gang members can often occur over unrelated issues.
Yet, Amir Javid, who runs Touchstone Family Association’s StreetSmart program that provides an exit strategy for current gang members, is familiar with most of the names that have cropped up in the headlines locally.
Javid said he understands the way CFEU is required to categorize incidents.
“We just view these occurrences through a different lens,” Javid said.
As for the low number of gang-related deaths in 2014, Houghton said it’s a result of a combination of factors, one being a general downward trend in violent crime in B.C.
Secondly, certain gang members, who had a propensity for violence, or being victimized, have been killed, Houghton said bluntly.
Other gang members have also moved, are serving jail time, or have changed their behaviour.
“They are the ones who say to themselves, ‘I am tired of looking over my shoulder, I’m tired of getting shot at and having the police looking for me all the time. I want out,’” Houghton said.
But despite there being a lull, Houghton said now is the time when gang recruitment efforts seem to be ramping up.
“Anytime a void is created, people will scramble to fill it,” he said.
“And it doesn’t matter if you are not around anymore, or are in jail, people want what you have.
“So, there’s always jockeying and positioning. It’s a highly competitive, chaotic world.”
