The City of Kamloops has a new vehicle added to its fleet—a 2008 Porsche Cayman—which was provided through a BC Civil Forfeiture Profits of Crime grant. This vehicle will be used in Kamloops’ Guns and Gangs Intervention and Prevention Program to show that while the gang lifestyle may appear to be luxurious, it is far from it.

“The Guns and Gangs program is a series of initiatives and education that we are developing with key partners and experts to prevent and intervene in youths entering the guns and gang lifestyle,” said Amy Hilliard, the City’s Community Education and Prevention Coordinator. “The Porsche is a piece of our tool kit that will come with us to events and education opportunities to help reinforce the message to youths that involvement in drug or gang crime is serious and that assets, including one’s life, become targeted and vulnerable.”

This Porsche is an example of a criminal asset that was seized due to gang life. The Porsche will be on display on Saturday, August 12, during Hot Nite in the City along with information about the Guns and Gangs Intervention and Prevention Program.

The City of Kamloops is one of the federal government’s Building Safer Communities Fund recipients announced in March 2023 to develop and implement community-collaborated programming to aid in the prevention and intervention of youths becoming involved in gun and gang violence.

The City’s funding allocation will be put towards community-led projects through the new Guns and Gangs Intervention and Prevention Program, which aims to combat gun and gang violence in youths and address knowledge gaps concerning the impacts of interventions in gun and gang violence.

A three-year plan is in progress with a dedicated Community Education and Prevention Coordinator who works directly with City staff, Kamloops RCMP, Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, and key youth organizations in our community.

The three-year initiative will:

• develop local, community-based strategies
• build capacity to better understand the nature, scope, and impacts of the types of prevention and intervention initiatives implemented
• enhance evidence-based and targeted prevention and intervention activities
• provide educational opportunities for youths, caregivers, educators, and support workers
• develop a data collection strategy and system

To learn more about the Guns and Gangs Intervention and Prevention Program, visit Kamloops.ca/CrimePrevention.