A new homicide team is being formed in the Lower Mainland, the B.C. government says, to specifically investigate and address gang-related deaths.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced the Integrated Gang Homicide Team (IGHT) Thursday, saying it will also focus on improving “intelligence co-ordination related to gang activities.”
“Gang violence and organized crime impacts all of us, and we are coordinating with local, provincial, and federal agencies to ensure we are taking the right steps to keep people safe and hold those responsible for gang-related activities accountable for their actions,” said Farnworth.
“This is a top priority for our government. We are continuing to work alongside our policing partners to curb gang violence, and the development of this team is an important step forward in this collective responsibility.”
The government cites a rise in gang-related homicides in B.C. from 21 per cent of all murders in 2021 to 46 per cent in 2023.
“Gang-related homicides present unique challenges due to evidence tampering and witness reluctance, making them more time-consuming and resource-intensive to investigate,” the ministry explained.
The province explains that as of December 2023, there were 356 unsolved homicides. The province believes that creating IGHT will enable the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) to redirect team members to focus on those cases.
“For over 20 years, we have utilized an integrated policing approach, successfully investigating and prosecuting those responsible for the most egregious crimes, including members of organized crime groups who have, time and again, neglected public safety in furtherance of their own personal agendas,” said Supt. Mandeep Mooker, officer in charge of IHIT.
“Now in 2024, as the gang landscape evolves, so must our approach to keeping Canadians safe.”
The new team is set to be fully functional by late 2024 for early 2025, B.C. says.