News — 09 November 2010
Local professionals came together this past week to learn about prevention of gang activity in our communities.
Hosted by Detective Sargeant Ann Tkachyk and the Dryden Police Service (DPS), the gang training conference brought together law enforcement experts in gang activity to Dryden from Toronto, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, as well as First Nations Policing from the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service and Six Nations Police Service near Brantford, Ontario.
The conference gathered over 100 attendants, including professionals from all areas of law enforcement, adult and youth corrections, probation and parole, adult and youth addictions services, adult and youth mental health service and education and child and family services.
Seminars were taught in areas of gang activity, gang indicators, the negative aspects of gang lifestyle as well as gangs and their involvement in crime, drugs and firearms offences.
“One of the big stresses of this is to create partnerships,” says Tkachyk. “Some of the issues are low economic status, low education, inadequate parenting skills, the need to fit in and to feel protected or loved.”
Tkachyk explains that no matter what is shown on TV, the media, social media and the internet about the gang lifestyle making you rich, famous and driving fancy vehicles, that is not what gang life is really about.
“The instructors stress that at the end of the day, you’re going to end up in one of two places. In jail or dead,” remarks Tkachyk.
The Criminal Intelligence Service Canada states the total number of reported groups in Canada has fluctuated between approximately 600, to well over 900 within the past five years.
Tkachyk says most of the gangs that enforcement is dealing with in northwestern Ontario are multi-cultural, and not one particular race.
“It doesn’t matter what your background is, and right across the board, it seems to be the demographics of gangs. It’s not racial, they’re multi-racial,” says Tkachyk.
The Dryden area has pockets of indicators, but the only actual gang activity in the area is graffiti and tagging in different areas of the community.
“We live half way between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg, we are right on the Trans Canada, we are the pipeline from the north and a direct line to the border,” says Tkachyk. “For us to think that we aren’t affected somehow, or that we don’t have contact with gang members is pretty naïve.”
Tkachyk says parents should be watching for distinct changes with their children, including drastic changes in groups of friends, clothing, appearances, attitudes. Also unexplainable new items appearing, failing marks or dropping out of school, tattoos, lack of respect for all levels of authority and staying out late and not coming home.
The conference was funded by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and put on as part of the Mayor’s Committee for Children and Youth Anti Violence Campaing.
By Ally Dunham
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