BY RATTAN MALL

FORMER solicitor general Kash Heed told The VOICE earlier this week that the shootings in Surrey will continue unless the RCMP “put in a comprehensive approach to dealing with it.”

He added: “The problem is the RCMP are just using traditional responses to this particular problem.”

He pointed out that even when these gangsters are killed, “the void is so easily filled because there is such a large amount of people that will get involved in this particular activity and unless you cut off that stream, you are not going to be able to realistically intervene in this problem; you are not even going to be able to put a lid on this particular problem.”

He also noted: “The RCMP are completely run off their feet and as a result they can’t do anything else but react to the problem. [In view of] what is taking place worldwide around terrorism and even domestic terrorism within Canada, we have to look at redefining the RCMP and putting them in those federal responsibilities to ensure the security of the nation. They should not be involved in municipal policing and here is a fine example of them involved in one of the largest municipal police contracts they have in Canada. The young officers are run off their feet and they can only react to the problem.”

He bluntly pointed out: “They are resource poor in Surrey and they don’t want to admit it. So all they can do is react to the problem; they cannot be pro-active. So it’s always after the fact that they will respond to it.”

He mocked Surrey RCMP and Surrey Mayor decrying the lack of cooperation from the victims, noting, “The suspects and victims have not been cooperating for hundreds of years in this. What do they not realize? For them to single out our [South Asian] community even makes me a lot more upset. We had this taking place and we continue to have it taking place with other members of other communities involved.”

He angrily said: “My problem here is with those officials (who) are making it out to be that we’ve raised our kids in such a bizarre fashion. What about me? I turned out to be alright. … What do you mean it’s the culture, it’s the family? Wake up! They need to get out … [and understand] what is going on before they can even respond to it in a comprehensive fashion.”

Heed added: “But I don’t think they really understand what is actually going on because when you have a remark like that from the police and the mayor you’ve got to be very worried about that. When they make a statement saying we should have people pay for their own medical costs unless they cooperate with us … come on, what, are we back in the cowboy days! How ridiculous can you be!

“It goes to show you that they do not have a clue what to do. It goes to show that they don’t have any knowledge in order to respond to this appropriately. You’ve got some really good people who are trying. The problem is that the organization does not have the resources to deal with it. We need to define RCMP as a federal force and then we have to look at what’s going to work for British Columbia and what’s going to work for Metro Vancouver.”