GANGS INFESTING OUR LIVES

Dear Editor,

I read your editorial comment on gangs [Gangs ruin a nice, quiet year, Aug.

16, TIMES]. Very well put and maybe a wake-up call for all.

When these criminal organizations are laying low, and it is usually
because they are having to re-group and reorganize their operations,
it by no means signifies that they have given up.

Politicians have to get their heads out of the clouds and realize
that we do have a major problem with gangs and drug dealing in our
neighbourhoods.

Looking through rose-coloured glasses and trying to gloss over things
is not helpful.

Just look at what we witnessed two weeks ago with a meth lab on 224th
Street, right under our noses.

Police have got to up their intelligence and enforcement to combat
these criminal syndicates, which are becoming international in scope
and increasingly violent in nature.

Wake up folks and realize the gravity of what is plaguing our
communities before it gets out of hand.

John McKenzie,

Maple Ridge

[John McKenzie previously declared his intent to run for Maple Ridge
council in this November's municipal election]