New Anti-Gang Initiative

The Calgary Police Service is launching a new anti-gang initiative aimed at providing resources for at-risk youth and parents who are looking for help.

GRIP – Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention – replaces the Service’s previous anti-gang program known as Get A Life, and focusses on raising awareness, providing access to resources and cultivating tips about gang activity. The new website is www.cpsgrip.com.

Gangs are very much a part of the larger world of organized crime. They are regularly involved in a wide array of criminal activity ranging from theft and fraud to drug trafficking and murder.

The Guns and Gangs Unit, along with the Service’s Community and Youth Services Section, worked closely to develop the new program, which provides the public with a ‘one stop shop’ for all information, resources and avenues of communication for anyone with questions and / or concerns in relation to gang and organized crime matters.

The site also highlights several CPS partner programs available to youth who are at-risk of joining gang life, including Start Smart Stay Safe and the Youth at Risk Development Program (YARD), among others.

Along with the website, the new initiative offers a number of options for those wanting to contact gang investigators. A dedicated Gang Helpline has been reestablished at 403-428-8191 and people can now email officers with questions or tips at CPSGrip@calgarypolice.ca.

The CPS’s gang strategy is comprised of a number of elements including, education, prevention, disruption and investigation.

The implementation of the Real Time Operations Centre (RTOC), the establishment of a fulltime Guns and Gangs Unit and the deployment of frontline Gang Suppression Teams are just some examples of the strategic use of assets designed to target individuals and groups tied to gangs and organized crime in the city.

By exchanging intelligence, techniques and proven strategies with other North American cities that are addressing gang issues of their own, the CPS has developed a comprehensive plan to address gang activity.

While the arrest and successful prosecution of gang members is always a goal of the Service, it has also been identified that disruption and suppression initiatives improve public safety and hinders the ability of criminals to make, and enjoy, illicit money.

Leaving gang life is not always easy. There is often pressure to stay and penalties for getting out. The Calgary Police Service has resources, programs and partner agencies in place to assist, many of which can be found under the ‘Get Help’ portion of the new website. If you are unsure of where to start, you can also call the Gang Helpline at 403-428-8191.

Media advisory to follow.