Abbotsford police chief sends letter to parents about gang conflict

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — Abbotsford’s police chief has sent a letter asking for help from the parents of young men whom officers believe are involved in a violent gang conflict.

The Abbotsford Police Department says it has dedicated a wide array of resources to the Townline Hill conflict, which it says has been a top public safety priority since 2014.

The department says Chief Bob Rich’s letter is an “earnest attempt to change the direction of the conflict and the lives of those involved.”

In the letter sent in English and Punjabi, Rich says two gangs are fighting over who gets to sell illegal drugs in the city and so far five people, including an 18-year-old, have been murdered.

He tells parents their son’s life is in “critical danger,” and if their child stays involved in gangs he is at serious risk of being killed and his actions are causing other people’s deaths.

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Rich says he is sorry that parents are in this situation and police are not blaming them, but want to talk to them about what they can do about it.

The Canadian Press