Community fears racist backlash after police release list of men who allegedly pose public safety risk

Some members of Metro Vancouver's South Asian community have expressed concerns over potential racist backlash after police released a list last weekof 11 men they say pose a risk to public safety due to alleged gang affiliation nine of whom have Punjabi names.

The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC) says the men are known to police and have connections to high levels of gang and organized crime-related violence,including a recent incidentin Whistlerwheretwo men were shot to death.

As most of the people identified on the listare South Asian,Manpreet Saraisays she worries it will lead to negative ramifications forpeople from that community, likean increase in random police stops and racist stereotyping.

"It's important to remember that the gang members on that list represent a very small portion of the overall South Asian population," said Sarai, whoworks as a case manager for the South Asian Community Resource Office (SACRO) program at Archway Community Services, based in Abbotsford.

Sarai said it is important for the public to be informed about people who may pose a threatin order to protect themselves,butshe's not sure the listreflectsthe demographics of B.C. gangs.

"We know that it's hard to track gang demographics and there are more established gangs with older members who tend to fly under the radar and don't get as much attention," she said.

In a statement last Wednesday,Aug. 3, the CFSEU-BC said police believe "anyone with, or in the proximity to these individuals, may beputting themselves at risk," and that they have identified the men and issued a public warning"in order for family, friends, associates, and the public to take measures to increasetheir own personal safety."

Vancouver Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson said at a news conference that the brother of two men on the list has already been killed:Meninder Dhaliwal was shot to death outside a Whistler hotel last month.

"I want to make it clear that today's announcement is not about naming and shaming," said Wilson. "Identifying these men is in the interest of public safety."

But some argue that these lists createmore problems than solutions.

Tamara Humphrey, assistant professor of sociology specializing in criminologyat the University of Victoria, says there is no evidence that releasing lists of individuals allegedly posing a public safety risk significantly lowers crime, or protects people.

"We're not really seeing that they're impacting public safety in any meaningful way at all," said Humphrey. In fact, she says, such listsinstill panicin the general public, without providing support or clear preventative actions.

The panic can be misdirected, Humphrey adds. Because the men onlist are overwhelmingly South Asian, "we can see an increase in harassment or aggression toward communities of colour as a result of these widespread notifications," she said.

Humphrey sayswhilethe 11 men named in the list are known to the police, thisdoes not mean that they have been charged with a crime.

She saysabetter wayto discourage them from criminal activityis to help theindividuals retain their community tiesand employment opportunities.

"These are the kinds of important connections that are actually crime-prevention mechanisms that we know for sure work," said Humphrey.

CBC reached out to CFSEU-BC for comment,but did not receive a responseby publication time.