The Indo-Canadian Gang Member: A Law Enforcement Perspective

• In Event: Posters I

Abstract

Gang violence is a concern in the Greater Vancouver Region (GVR). This geographic locale is particularly attractive to gangs who engage in widespread violence in an effort to control the marijuana industry. Therefore, their violent conflicts are not over territory, but the gangs’ attempts to create a monopoly in the drug industry. The majority of gangs in the GVR are primarily comprised of Indo-Canadian males. Given the growing South Asian population in British Columbia, it is important for the police to understand local gang culture with respect to the relevant demographic in order to develop enforcement and prevention strategies. Through in depth interviews with three experienced police officers active in the GVR, this research examines and provides insight into the unique role that Indo-Canadian gang members specific to the GVR play in contemporary gang culture. Five separate themes emerged from the data with considerable overlap across participants. These include (1) profile; (2) initial interactions with police; (3) attitudes toward police; (4) evolution and (5) risk factors. These findings may contribute to identifying potential differences between gang members that could allow for the development of proactive, strategic and operational tactics employed by law enforcement agencies.

Author

• Noor Sandhu, Simon Fraser University