Police in Southeast Vancouver supplanting the allure of gang lifestyle with positive life choices

Police in Southeast VancouverVANCOUVER Police Department Constables Terry Parmar and Hardeep Sahota of District 3, Southeast Vancouver, under Inspector Steve Rai, continue to be very active in leading and engaging elementary school age children in ensuring they see the good side of life.
VPD officers have supplanted the allure of the gang lifestyle with positive life choices as they interact with kids who look up to them as positive role models.

Project MESH, which aims to create bonds with the youth through fun and active sports, was formalized two years ago with a seed grant from the prestigious Vancouver Police Foundation.

The Foundation stepped up again this year and provided $7,000 in funding over two years for this program. The funding has allowed MESH to support Christmas toy drives, summer soccer camps, seniors safety outreach, 3-on-3 basketball and a host of other community youth outreach initiatives exposing the kids of Southeast Vancouver to positive life choices.

Vancouver Police Constables Terry Parmar, Hardeep Sahota and Nick Thompson, Sergeant James Graham and Inspector Steve Rai receiving the Vancouver Police Foundation grant money.
Vancouver Police Constables Terry Parmar, Hardeep Sahota and Nick Thompson, Sergeant James Graham and Inspector Steve Rai receiving the Vancouver Police Foundation grant money.
Inspector Steve Rai told The VOICE: “The days of gangsters having sway and influence over our kids are over. The next generation of youth, at least from my district, are not going to be led astray by thugs preying on impressionable minds. Police officers like Terry Parmar, Hardeep Sahota, Narinder Dosanjh, and a host of others are working hard to ensure the right outcomes come about for the benefit of the entire community.”

Expect to see many more initiatives in the months to follow. The success of such programs is evidenced by the record low number of gang murders in Vancouver and in Southeast Vancouver in particular.

The latest MESH event was called “Raise the Hoop.” It was a 3-on-3 basketball tournament held at Moberly Elementary School. MESH partnered up with Moberly School principal. The event was open for grades 4-7 students. Kids received a free T-shirt, lunch, positive messaging and had lots of fun.