A new pilot project focused on solving gang-related homicides in B.C.’s Lower Mainland will spring into action as soon as possible.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth Thursday officially announced the creation of the 18-member Integrated Gang Homicide Team, bringing together experts from various agencies. They include B.C.’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, the Organized Crime Agency of British Columbia and the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
“The work of implementing the new task force is now underway,” Farnworth said.
Set to start in late 2024 or early 2025, IGHT will operate under the umbrella of the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, investigating priority files in suspicious deaths and high-risk missing-persons-files within IHIT’s jurisdiction.
IHIT covers the RCMP’s Lower Mainland District from Pemberton to Boston Bar, including Sechelt, serving 29 RCMP communities and four municipal police communities.
The creation of the new unit unfolds against the back-drop of several high-profile gang-related homicides in the Lower Mainland. According to government figures, gang-related homicides in British Columbia rose to 46 per cent of homicides in 2023, up from 21 per cent in 2003.
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Farnworth said the creation of IGHT with its focus on gang-related homicides and intelligence gathering will help improve public safety.
“While homicides remain relatively rare events, they have been steadily increasing in the province over the years,” Farnworth said. “The impacts that these events have on communities are significant and are felt well beyond victims and their families and gang-related homicides are complex.”
IHIT’s Superintendent Mandeep Mooker said gang-related homicides are tyically complex due to their “sophistication” and the “amount of planning that’s involved.”
While IHIT handles some spontaneous homicides, gang-related homicides are generally planned, Mooker said. Thse types of cases require considerable time and resources.
Farnworth added that the creation of the new unit with its resources will also help.
“What you have done is increased capacity and that will make things more effective,” Farnworth said.
IHIT reported 356 unsolved homicides as of December 2023. With IGHT now focusing on gang-related homicides, IHIT will be able to re-direct team members to focus on these cases.