Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich told a small but vocal crowd gathered Thursday night for a community crime forum, that the problem is really some 100 young people that have lost their way and have put themselves in gang situations.
Although the Abby Arts Centre was half full, Chief Rich received an ear-full over the growing problems in this turf war.
The response from Abby’s top cop was to have more community involvement, community policing. Rich said police have stepped up enforcement in the Townline Hill area, with the province’s anti-gang agency – Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit – and the APD’s gang unit, who takes turns monitoring the area everyday.
Other suggestions included for the public to get involved in groups such as Neigbourhood Watch, Adopt-a-Block and Citizens’ Patrol.
Rich and Mayor Henry Braun stressed that people take action and actually call 9-1-1 when they see crime happening. The claim was that there was only one 9-1-1 call after the recent shooting death (of an innocent by-standing elderly man) even though many people heard the shots fired.
