A Metro Vancouver-based anti-gang task force visited the northern B.C. community of Prince George for a second time last week to address the increasing drug activity, shootings and even murders in the area.
The city of 80,000 has become a battleground for rival gangs such as the Game Tight Soldiers and the Independent Soldiers, some of which originated in the Lower Mainland.
Members of the Uniformed Gang Task Force have visited Prince George twice in the past two months to help deal with the problem by sharing tactics with local law enforcement and gathering information.
Criminologist Rob Gordon says while there has been a "buoyant" drug trade in the region for years, recent developments have escalated the situation into a full-fledged turf war.
Ironically, the problem may have been inflamed by successful crack downs on local Hell's Angels members who police believe dominate the local drug scene.
"They've taken out a few of their key people. That leaves a vacuum," Gordon said. "The demand for the product doesn't go away."
New up-and-coming gangsters have now entered the fray, and Gordon says they may be over their heads in a "nasty situation."
"These other groups are popping up and wanting a share of the action and that's actually why they're getting [killed]," he said.
Gordon said the strategies police are pursuing – which include implementing the successful Bar Watch program and targeting gang members for minor offences – is the best available strategy, but the problem will persist as long prohibition does.
"It's not going to be successful … until we deal with the larger issue of how we deal with drug abuse and drug use in this country."
In the mean time, the most police can hope to accomplish is to drive gang members underground and reduce violent conflict, Gordon said.
