True Calgary Gangs Still on the Decline

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Calgary is still one the safest cities in Canada, however the recent spate of what Calgary Police have dubbed "gang-related" shootings has caused some to question this fact.

The questioning is understandable, however the simple truth is Calgary no longer has gangs in the traditional sense.

It was not too long ago that the FOB and FK gangs, both well organized, and made up primarily of immigrant and minority youth who felt displaced and isolated in Calgary society were responsible for the vast majority of homicides that took place within our city. Years of law enforcement's dismantling of gang leadership along with extensive public outreach programs aimed at steering at-risk youths away from gangs led to their disappearance, and they haven't been replaced with anything remotely similar.

The "gangs" we see today are, by the Calgary Police Service's own admission much smaller and much shorter-lived organizations, and the violence they are allegedly perpetrating is related directly to drug trafficking activity (again, according to allegations made by the police).

This isn't the gang violence that Calgary knew before but a series of isolated incidents related only by the common factor of the drug trade. The average Calgary citizen and Calgary community has nothing to fear, and a different approach to drug abuse would likely reduce our city's violence dramatically. Stirring up public fears in relation to gangs may not be the best response.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a gang-related crime in Calgary, please contact my office today for a free consultation.

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