Posted on 09/25/2009, 9:32 am, by mySteinbach

The new Gang Awareness for Parents pilot project and support for the Winnipeg Police Service’s (WPS) Project Restore initiative are the first of several enhancements to the province’s anti-gang strategy, Attorney General Dave Chomiak announced.
 
“In the coming weeks, I’ll be introducing a number of new and enhanced initiatives aimed at renewing the battle against gang crime in this province,” said Chomiak. “These excellent initiatives are a part of our enhanced commitment to gang crime prevention, intervention and suppression.”
 
In Project Restore, the WPS focused resources to intensively enforce court-ordered bail and probation conditions of certain high-risk adult offenders believed to be at the core of many violent incidents in Winnipeg’s north end. Support from the province will help extend and enhance the initiative, adding an analyst and a support position to the WPS and three new staff to the province’s Criminal Organization and High Risk Offenders Unit. These resources will help ensure the continued success of this initiative, said Chomiak.  
 
Similar to the approach used in the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy (WATSS), up to 50 adult high-risk offenders including gang members most likely to endanger the community will have their conditions intensively monitored and breaches vigorously enforced with early arrests and prosecutions.
 
“By working in partnership with the province and others, our ability to focus on high-risk offenders will be enhanced,” said Winnipeg Police Chief Keith McCaskill.
 
Gang Awareness for Parents is a one-year pilot project developed by victims’ advocate Floyd Wiebe to help parents, caregivers and other adults identify signs of gang involvement, de-glamorize the gang lifestyle and link people with resources to deal with children who are at risk of or involved in gang activity. The project’s goal is to establish a group similar to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers to provide a voice for parents and others who want to affect public attitudes about gangs.
 
“I truly feel that this investment of public funds to kick-start this grassroots organization will be paid back by providing a safer community for all of us to live in,” said Wiebe. “If we save one child from entering gang life, we have won.”