Police in Surrey are dropping the mallet on gangsters, while asking clubs and restaurants to summarily evict them.
The Surrey RCMP will be at the side of those that do, said Surrey's Officer in Charge Bill Fordy during a press conference Thursday.
The announcement comes a day after Craig Widdifield, 28, was gunned down in what police say was a targeted, gangland shooting at Morgan Crossing shopping centre on Wednesday at just before 7 p.m.
Fordy said in the coming days the message will be sent out loud and clear to all gangsters in Surrey.
"You are not welcome here," Fordy said.
"I am redirecting the men and women that work for me to go out and interact with those in the criminal element, also to attend the places they frequent, places like restaurants, bars and gyms."
He is also asking the owners of those establishments to deliver a similar message to gangsters: "We do not want you here, and we do not want your dirty money."
The tough stance comes after Surrey's latest murder brings to 11 the number of people killed in the city this year. In all of last year, there were 10 murders, and the annual average since 2001 is 13.
On Wednesday night, Fordy – speaking to media at the scene of the shooting – said substantial police resources have been deployed to find suspects in the case.
He described the shooting as "eerily similar" to one that occurred in a Burnaby parking lot in 2010 and is considered a targeted and gang-related execution. Gurmit Singh Dhak was sitting in his BMW at Metrotown Shopping Centre when he was shot in the face.
At Thursday's press conference, police from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit said they will be sharing information about all gangsters known to them.
Some of that may also be made public.
- with files from Tracy Holmes