It’s hard to open a newspaper or sign in to any social media these days without seeing news of another shooting. Surrey seems to be the target as of late with gun violence running rampant throughout the city. An alarming number of shootings has officials, politicians and residents alike, pleading for the violence to stop before more shots are fired and more lives are lost. But when will it stop? And what will it take? While there may not be any easy solutions to ending the current criminal activity, it’s evident that something needs to change before the city feels safe once again.
Violence in Surrey is not a new problem. On October 19, 2007, six people were found dead in a Surrey high-rise condo after a targeted gang shooting violently claimed their lives. Dubbed the ‘Surrey Six’ shootings for those that were shot, the trial gained widespread attention, not only for the two innocent victims who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but also for the high profile gang members and the war over drugs associated with the horrific crime. The rivalry at the time, between the Red Scorpions and the UN gangs, was violently crippling Metro Vancouver.
While crime never completely left the city, it seemed to have calmed down. Gang members had established themselves before being displaced, incarcerated and dying off; a common pattern for groups involved in organized crime. And then something changed. In a span of 45 days, 18 shootings shocked the city of Surrey. With additional gunfire reported throughout the area, Surrey has had no less than 30 reported shootings since the beginning of March. Numbers so high bare questioning. Why so many? And why in Surrey? What is being done to stop it? And how long will it take to see a change?
As the RCMP have been quick to report, the long list of recent shootings are, more often than not, a result of a turf war over drugs between two groups of low-level individuals. “There is nothing glamourous, there is nothing romantic about the way it’s being portrayed in the media,” says Rob Rai, manager of Safe Schools Department for the Surrey School District. “Young people looking to get involved in gangs are looking to create an identity and self esteem and say, ‘Look at me, I’m important, I’m part of this criminal underworld.’ But now, we have two groups, they’re low level; there’s no pride in that. There is nothing to hang your hat on by saying, look at me, I’m a low level drug dealer.”
It’s not the same gang war that plagued the city 10 years ago when high-profile gang members seemed to have a strangle-hold on the city, and while the violence has continued to rear its ugly head again and again, some statistics point to an improvement over years past. 2008 saw a record high gang-related homicides in the province of British Columbia. This year, despite the rash of shootings, the numbers are shockingly low. And while it’s a surprising stat, things have changed, as they often do in the crime scene, and gang-related violence isn’t actually on the rise.
“What we’ve been seeing in recent years, especially in terms of the violence, the shootings, the attempted murders by shootings and the murders is that violent wave, in terms of gang-related crime, has been trending down,” explains Sergeant Lindsey Houghton, of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU). “In 2009, we had 36. Right after that, in 2010, the number dropped in half to 18 and in half again to nine. We’ve sort of stabilized in the last 3-4 years in that 8-9 to 12–13 range – and that’s for the whole province. And, of course, even
fewer for the various municipalities.”
Unfortunately, despite assurances that crime rate has reduced, residents of Surrey are still living in fear. “Everybody deserves to live in a neighbourhood where they feel safe, and the recent rounds of shootings have made a lot of people in our community very nervous,” says Jinny Sims, MP for Newton-North Delta and NDP critic for employment and social development, recalling the many women, seniors and young parents she’s spoken to who no longer feel safe venturing outdoors. With recent crimes rocking residential neighbourhoods, it’s no wonder the people of Surrey are wondering what they’ve done to deserve such a fate.
“Speaking specifically for Surrey – and other communities like Vancouver have seen this in years past, as well – you’ve got a city that is growing in terms of population growth, very very rapidly, and with that come socio-economic challenges, ethnic challenges in terms of the demographic of ethnicities that are moving into the communities, all of the challenges that those people bring, and with that come things like drugs, crime, supply and demand for drugs, competition over drugs, competition and in fighting between groups that may or may not be related to drugs,” explains Houghton.
“Violence is common to many large cities like Surrey, a city that has many drug dealers competing for market share,” agrees Dr. Martin Bouchard, associate professor at the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University. “When violence is concentrated in a city like that, a relatively safe assumption is that the violence is related to drug markets. It is common, but at the same time, what is happening in Surrey right now is out of the ordinary.”
The shootings haven’t stayed within Surrey’s boundaries, as the turf war has spilled over into North Delta as well. “The people involved in this particular conflict believe it is ok to put the public at risk and drive down the streets and shoot at each other,” says Delta Police Sergeant Sarah Swallow. “They do not care where that street is.” Houghton agreed, emphasizing that Surrey isn’t the only Lower Mainland community that has seen an abundance of violence in recent years. “Geography means nothing. These are crimes of opportunity. If they think that they can commit the crime, they’ll do it, regardless of jurisdiction.”
“This is not about some cultures being more prone to violence,” stresses Dr. Bouchard, despite the blame being placed on certain cultures that heavily populate the Surrey area. “The demographics of violence of a large city takes the demographics of the younger generation of those living in that city. Culture has an influence, to the extent that it influences the reproduction of drug markets in specific areas, through direct social influence. This is why it is so difficult to get rid of social problems once they have taken hold of certain neighbourhoods – the next generation born in that environment is likely to reproduce what it has been exposed to.”
So if the environment needs to change, if the environment is helping to enable violence among the younger generations, then who’s in charge of controlling the environment? While the bloodshed appears to be never ending, so is the circle of blame. Who is responsible for such violence, and more importantly, for stopping it? There may not be a straight answer from anybody in a position of authority or those affected by the tragedies when it comes to who’s in charge, but one thing is evident; from police officers to government officials, schools to
families, there are many members of the community who must work together to ensure the public’s safety.
“If everybody else is saying that it’s everybody else’s responsibility, then what that tells me is that it’s everybody’s responsibility,” says Rai. In talking to the many groups involved, it appears he may be right. Linda Hepner, mayor of Surrey, was not available to comment; however, the city of Surrey has made it clear that they don’t feel responsible for controlling the violence. They’ve provided what they believe are necessary resources in the form of more money and more officers but have indicated that it is in the hands of the RCMP to police the city. When it comes to prevention and policy change, that’s not their responsibility either – it’s that of the school board and the RCMP.
When contacted for comment, Surrey RCMP did not respond other than to reiterate that the current shootings are not gang-related. “We’re not terribly interested in saying who should shoulder the responsibility, that’s not our job,” says Rai. And while he’s right, that finger pointing won’t help with policing or prevention, the school district has proven that they’re working hard to get their job done. “Our job is to work with kids and that’s what we look to do all the time. Regardless of who’s at the table and who’s not, we’ll continue to do the work that we do.”
Rai, along with many others in the community, may continue to work hard despite the attendance of those around them, but the presence of more than just one group is needed for any improvements to be seen.
“It’s all of the above,” Houghton said in reference to the many groups involved in a young person’s life. “Education of our children starts in the home. It’s a parents and families responsibility, and then as the child gets older, that responsibility expands to schools, teachers, counsellors, community, peer groups, friends, parents, police, the media. All of these people play an important role in guiding young people’s choices, in educating them in right and wrong, about the law, about what the consequences of their actions may or may not be.”
“Enforcement is just one, important part of the equation. Education and prevention are also vital,” offered Justice Minister Suzanne Anton in a statement sent to Darpan. If everyone needs to do something, are they? Pleas are being made to stop the violence and avoid anymore unnecessary deaths, but what is actually being done to stop the shootings? Every level of government, along with different community partners and policing agencies have been criticized for not doing enough despite the additional funding, community initiatives and evidence of drops in criminal activity.
The Surrey Wrap Project is an initiative, launched in 2009, that ‘provides services to at-risk youth who exhibit signs of gang-associated behaviour.’ With referrals from school administrators and community liaisons connecting participants to the program, approximately 60 youth participate annually. Together with the Surrey RCMP, the Surrey School District’s Safe Schools Department has seen substantial growth while having a remarkably positive affect on those who are referred to the program.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own neighbourhoods and the people of Surrey need to know the Government of British Columbia stands with you,” Premier Christy Clark said recently when announcing the one-time contribution of $270,000 to the program; evidence that the province is working with the city. The project has had much success with the individuals it reaches, but what about those who don’t. The responsibility reaches beyond one program. “What it boils down to is shifting the expectations and perceptions of self identity,” says Rai. “There’s a small percentage of kids that believe you’re either using [drugs] or you’re dealing [drugs]. And we really need to shift that because that is such a myopic view of their own life – the only two things I can do is deal or use. Not that I can change the world or can volunteer or can learn, or participate; we have to shift that view...and that’s really a community issue.”
“CFSEU-BC has been doing a great job in reaching out to vulnerable youth,” Anton noted. “The End Gang Life campaign that CFSEU-BC has been promoting in schools and at youth-oriented events is helping to break down the myths and share the stark realities about gang life, often in gangsters’ own words. It’s very powerful material, and I believe it reaches youth in a meaningful way.”
Houghton explains that the CFSEU realized they weren’t doing a good enough job in helping to educate all those who should be responsible for the important conversations surrounding crime and violence. The realization spurred the creation of the ‘End Gang Life’ campaign, an initiative aimed to provide families with the resources necessary to begin the conversations from an educated perspective. Houghton’s seen the positive results first hand through the many schools and community events he’s attended.
Despite the reception that their efforts have received, Houghton notes that it’s the community support, and not the police, that is going to spur results. Sims agrees, that the community efforts are essential to making a difference, but also believes that there are problems with the system that need to be addressed before any changes are actually realized.
Sims has been outspoken about police involvement, insisting that more officers are an immediate priority. “Policing is not the solution to everything, nor can it ever be the only solution. But when you look at the per capita ratio of policing in Surrey it’s amongst the lowest in the Lower Mainland, and when you look at comparable cities across the country, it is really low.” The dangerously short-staffed detachment of Surrey police officers carried criminal caseloads that were over 75 per cent higher than comparable police forces, according to figures from the Minster of Justice in recent years.
“People wonder why there’s a quicker response in Vancouver and why there’s more police presence. Well, if you go back to staffing levels, people can only do so much during their working days, and I don’t think we should be blaming our amazing men and women who serve in our community. I think here the fault is with the system that doesn’t have enough police allocated to a city like Surrey,” Sims says.
“It bears repeating that gang and organized crime does not respect jurisdictional boundaries. That’s why our government remains steadfast in its support for integrated police teams, including provincial teams like the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. (CFSEU-BC) and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT). The public safety value of their expertise-sharing and success in arresting hundreds of gang-affiliated individuals and removing thousands of illegal weapons from our streets can’t be overstated,” says Anton, emphasizing how many groups work together throughout the province. “That said, the gun violence seen in Surrey and Delta in recent months is a problem that needs leadership from all levels of government – local, provincial and federal – and from the community itself.”
Examining what needs to be done now and what has to be done in the future may help differentiate the roles of the many individuals and organizations responsible. “This isn’t the time to wait for 100 police to be trained; if the government was serious, they would be begging and borrowing police from other areas across the country and around the province, bringing them in and targeting that area to shut down all those activities right now,” says Sims. “And then we start working on our long term plan.”
In a timely response to such pressure, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney just announced that the “deployment of the first 20 of 100 RCMP members committed to Surrey is already underway.” “Our Government continues to take action to ensure the safety and security of Canadians. No one should ever be afraid for their personal safety, or the safety of their families, when walking down a street in this country,” Blaney said in his statement to Darpan. “I have made it a priority to ensure that Surrey would receive the RCMP members that they had requested. The Harper Government will continue to work hard to ensure that the streets of Surrey – and communities across the country – are safe.”
As officers begin to infiltrate the streets of Surrey in the short term, the future rests on more than just their manpower. Sims is confident that spending more on education would save billions in healthcare and law enforcement in addition to the obvious benefit of bettering our youth.
“Policing is a big issue, but if we want to tackle this issue long term, we have to take a look at major investments in education, in early intervention, prevention, and then, rehabilitation and reintegration back into the community. And if we were doing all those, I believe we would not be where we are today.”
Dr. Bouchard agreed with the need for changes in both the near and far future. “We need patience, and a long-term vision,” he says. “These sorts of issues take time to change their course. The immediate response from law enforcement is necessary, and if done well it can sometimes accelerate the end of a wave of violence. Thinking longer term, Surrey’s Wrap program seems like a positive development until proven otherwise. The effects of prevention programs are hard to measure, and not all programs are effective. Programs involving credible speakers and mentors, like ex-gang members, are especially promising.”
“It’s also great to see the community itself so actively engaged,” Anton says. “When you see 700 people or more attending forums, it is clear Surrey residents are not content to sit back and let these criminals cause havoc. We need that engagement – and the police need the co-operation of family members and friends of the people behind the gunplay on Surrey streets. If you know something, say something – you may help to save a life.”
Residents of Surrey don’t seem to feel safe – and why would they when every other day brings news of another gun fired on the streets where they live and raise their families. By working together, demanding answers, and making gun violence an issue that doesn’t go away, proactive approaches may be more beneficial to a city under attack than any search for responsibility.
What people have to say:
Darpan conducted a poll asking its readers their views on how safe they feel in Surrey. As expected, 77 per cent of the participants believe that Surrey has turned into an unsafe zone lately. This goes to show that the recent shootings and attacks have had a deep impact on the residents of Surrey, instilling in them a sense of fear while traveling in and around the city.
When asked who is responsible for the crime rate in Surrey to increase, about 15 per cent of the participants blamed the federal government, 18 per cent pinpointed it on the civic government, while 21 per cent blamed it on the police.
Majority of the blame was on the provincial government, with nearly 47 per cent participants indicating that the provincial government's inability to stop or control gang wars or shootings has led to the increasing crime rate.
Gangsters Should Pay Their Own Medical Bills, Says Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner
Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner recently stated that she wants the power to force gangsters to pay their own medical bills. Hepner said that known gangsters who are shot, but refuse to co-operate with the police, should be held liable for their own medical costs.
She also said she will be talking to B.C.’s Attorney-General to see if the current civil forfeiture legislation could be employed in this way. On contacting the Mayor to clarify the same, the Mayor’s offer sent a statement by the Mayor to Darpan saying: “There is a frustration that the individuals who have been shot are more than happy to receive the care from our first responders and medical system, yet are obstructive when questioned by police. Given the fact that these cases are creating an unnecessary burden on our medical staff, resources and system at taxpayer’s expense, I believe that if these uncooperative individuals are found guilty of these crimes, they should be made to pay back the costs of their treatment… and if they can’t pay it, the costs should be billed to their families. I will be reaching out to the Attorney General to explore if such an avenue of restitution can be made through the Civil Forfeiture Act.”
