In the days after six men were murdered in a gang slaying last year, the idea of merging Metro Vancouver's police forces was suggested as the answer to solving the wave of violence.

But B.C.'s solicitor general is urging politicians, academics and police brass not to throw out what the province has already built without careful thought.

"I truly hope we can transcend the heat-of-the-moment reaction to senseless violence,'' Les told a forum gathered Wednesday to look at the creation of a regional police service.

"Emotions have to give way to thoughtful attempt to continually find the best ways to deal with crime.''

It's a far less rigid stance than last year, when Les brushed off regionalization and said the RCMP was the provincial police force.

As grim details emerged of the six men killed in the Surrey, B.C., apartment, the public was horrified to learn two of those men were innocent bystanders.

Ed Schellenberg died because he was servicing the gas fireplace in the apartment and 22-year-old Chris Mohan was dragged in from the hallway of the highrise and executed because police believe he may have witnessed something.

Shortly after those murders more people ''known to'' police were killed in restaurants, while sitting in their vehicles or walking down the sidewalk.

The brazen murders led to the creation of a task force to fight gang crime, made up of officers from around the region.

There are 10 integrated teams across the region that specialize in areas such as emergency response, forensic identification, murder investigation and dog services.

Les said B.C. has more integrated operations per capita than anywhere else in Canada.

"These teams avoid duplication and optimize efficiency,'' he said. "But, more importantly, there is growing proof they are increasing public safety.''

Les told reporters after speaking at the forum that he attended in order to hear the benefits and drawbacks of merging Metro Vancouver's five independent police forces as well as urban RCMP detachments.

"This is one of the most important public services we provide...so we need to stay calm and steady but at the same time look for ways which we can improve,'' he said.

West Vancouver Police Chief Kash Heed has advocated for debate over a regionalized force that would bring each police department out of their "silo of self-interest.''

Heed said the forum itself was a good sign.

"I don't think we're going to go away from today saying this is a direction we're going to go,'' he said. "This is a start for the dialogue.''

Vernon White, chief of the Ottawa Police Service, said consolidating services in his region was seen as a great success.

White said the idea was built on a foundation that it should provide a higher level of service.

"I say `should' because if it doesn't, and you can't convince the community that it will provide a better level of service, then you probably are not going to be successful in rolling out a regional model anyway,'' White said.

A June 2007 discussion paper by professor Dominic Wood, of Crime and Policing Studies at Canterbury Christ Church University, noted that opinions on a regional force could start to solidify.

"Vancouver continues to grow, and with the Winter Olympics destined there in 2010, the political will to create a regional police presence might begin to change,'' the report concluded.