Global BC Story

May 11, 2007

Law Courts Ed Central America Project Featured on Global TV

Global TV News Transcript Below:

Deborra: A SPECIAL GRADUATION TODAY IN CHILLIWACK OF SOME INVESTIGATORS AND PROSECUTORS FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO. THEY CAME TO B.C. FOR THE KIND OF SPECIALIZED TRAINING THAT THEY HOPE WILL HELP THEM DEAL WITH THE RAMPANT AND GROWING GANG VIOLENCE BACK HOME. SOME OF WHICH IS STARTING TO SEEP INTO CANADA AND B.C. JOHN DALY HAS MORE ABOUT THAT.

Reporter: FROM THE SHADOWS, THE GANGS OF CENTRAL AMERICA ARE EMERGING AND HEADING HERE.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH].

Reporter: BUT PROSECUTORS AND INVESTIGATORS FROM EL SALVADOR, HONDURAS, GUATEMALA AND MEXICO ARE HERE NOW, LEARNING HOW TO CONDUCT MAJOR CRIME INVESTIGATIONS CANADIAN-STYLE WHEN THEY GO BACK HOME.

THE TYPE OF LEARNING THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING HERE, I THINK THAT IT IS GOING TO IMPROVE THEIR TECHNIQUES, THEIR SOLVE RATES, THE WAY THEY APPROACH JOSER CRIME, AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S OPENING UP GREATER PARTNERSHIPS FOR EVEN OUR SERIOUS CRIME. (C/Supt Bill Dingwall)

Reporter: ON THIS FINAL DAY OF THEIR FIVE-WEEK COURSE, THE STUDENTS TURN THE TABLES ON THEIR INSTRUCTORS AND THE MEDIA WITH A SHOW AND TELL ABOUT JUST HOW BAD THEIR GANG PROBLEMS ARE.

YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH AS WELL. HOW THEY ARE BRINGING UP THEIR CHILDREN.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH].

Interpreter: YOU MIGHT THINK THAT IT'S STRANGE THAT WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 3400 HOMICIDES PER YEAR.

I MEAN, THEY EXPERIENCED MORE IN A MONTH THAN MOST OF US MAY EXPERIENCE IN A CAREER. (Supt. John Robin)

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH].

Interpreter: THEY ARE SO ORGANIZED. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN WEBSITES.

WE ARE SEEING SOME LEVEL OF ACTIVITY OF THOSE GANGS IN CANADA.

Interpreter: STARTED TO CHOP AND HACK THEM WITH MACHETES - I HAD TO KILL WHO WAS SUPPOSEDLY MY BEST FRIEND. BECAUSE HE BELONGED TO A DIFFERENT GANG THAN MINE. (Gang Member in Guatamala)

Reporter: THE LATINO GANGS WERE BORN IN THE PRISONS OF L.A. IN THE 1970s, THE MEMBERS DEPORTED HOME, BROUGHT THEIR VIOLENCE AND TERROR WITH THEM. SOON IT SPREAD BACK THROUGH THE STATES AND IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS INTO CANADA. ONE OF OUR BEST DEFENCES IS ARMING THE LOCAL INVESTIGATORS TO FIGHT THE GANGS WITH MODERN TECHNIQUES, LIKE COVERT SURVEILLANCE AND WIRETAPS.

WE DON'T HAVE NOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MAYBE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, YES. (Prosecutor)

Reporter: THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE EQUIPMENT YET, BUT THEY DO HAVE BRAVERY. EVERY ONE ON THE JOB FEARS FOR HIS OR HER LIFE.

Interpreter: ANY GANG MEMBER WHO SHOOT A POLICEMAN, THEY HAVE HIGHER STATUS WITHIN THE GANG AND MAYBE THAT COULD MAKE US -- THAT WOULD MAKE US TARGETS.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH].

Interpreter: OF COURSE EVERY TIME WE GO OUT TO THE JOB, WE COMMEND OUR LIVES TO GOD. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE. THE GANGS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOMICIDES IN HONDURAS, EL SALVADOR AND , TOTALLING 20,000 EACH YEAR.

Source: Global Vancouver
May 11, 2007 22:00