Surrey Police Service supports parents in fight against youth gang involvement

Preventing youth from being recruited into gangs and the accompanying youth violence requires ongoing conversations and collaboration among parents, schools, police, and other community partners. Surrey Police Service (SPS) is committed to having ongoing conversations with parents and youth on how to detect early signs of gang involvement and the dangers of gang life.

During the months of November and December, SPS officers delivered three positive parenting workshops at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara to approximately 1,500 parents, grandparents and guardians. The officers delivered the workshops in Punjabi and shared tips on how parents can help keep their children away from a life of crime, and information on the early signs of gang interest and involvement. SPS officers also had an opportunity to engage with youth at these workshops. The attendees and the Gurdwara committee greatly appreciated SPS’ outreach efforts and initiatives.

Over the holiday season, SPS officers also attended the Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen Toy Drive to help distribute toys to children and took part in the food drive.

On January 8th, three SPS officers and two members of the Surrey Police Board, Manav Gill and Jessie Sunner, attended the Lohri Shagna Di event at the Dhaliwal Banquet Hall in Surrey. This signature event celebrated the traditional Sikh/ Hindu festival and highlighted several youths for their contributions to the community. The SPS attendees were invited to present an award to one of the youths.

The event also celebrated daughters in the community, and Sergeant Jag Khosa delivered a message of equity and inclusion and encouraged the community to support their daughters’ goals, advising of the many recruitment opportunities in policing. Surrey Police Service is a community-based police service that is committed to regular and meaningful engagements with the many diverse communities in Surrey.