New anti-gang initiatives due ‘fairly shortly’: Surrey MLA

A Surrey MLA is hinting initiatives are on the way to help tackle escalating gun violence across the region.

Surrey-Whalley NDP MLA Bruce Ralston says the solicitor-general is expected to make an announcement soon.

“There are some plans in the works that I expect he will be announcing fairly shortly,” he said.

“There are some measures that will be taken, I’m not sure what the timeline is there, but I’m expecting we will make some progress.”

Last week, solicitor general Mike Farnworth said he was presenting options to cabinet, but wouldn’t elaborate on details.

He added that a report on how illegal guns are filtering into Canada will be ready by the end of September.

LISTEN: Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner on recent surge of gang violence

Meanwhile, Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner said police are working hard behind the scenes to tackle the gang problem, but that they aren’t getting much cooperation.

“I am really optimistic that they’re getting the investigative work done but I still maintain that you can’t have a victim who is unwilling to speak and still call them a victim. I think at that point in time they’re more ancillary to the problem.”

Hepner added that things seem quieter in her city after police and politicians spoke out last week following a series of shootings and shots fired incidents.

“It’s so regional in scope that one can only hope that somebody is listening.”

Farnworth and Hepner met last week to discuss the response to ongoing gang violence in the city.

The pair also made an appeal to the public and gang members’ families to break the code of silence they say is protecting criminals and hampering police work.