The British Columbia government is taking strong action against the rising threat of extortion in the province by establishing a dedicated task force.
Nina Krieger, the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General for British Columbia, unveiled plans for the task force during a press conference held outside a Surrey RCMP office. Krieger highlighted that the task force will adopt a united front in investigating extortion cases.
This specialized task force will operate on a province-wide scale and will consist of 40 members drawn from various law enforcement agencies across British Columbia. Leading the charge will be the B.C. RCMP, with additional personnel recruited from agencies such as the Canadian Border Services Agency, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, and multiple municipal police departments.
In a bid to combat this criminal activity, the task force will receive financial support from the federal Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund. The provincial government is earmarking a total of $300,000 from the fund for this initiative, with $200,000 exclusively designated for the task force’s operations. An additional $100,000 will be directed towards a public awareness campaign run by Crime Stoppers BC.
Minister Krieger emphasized that these efforts build upon existing annual funding of over $100 million allocated by the province to bolster specialized law enforcement actions against criminal activities.
Meanwhile, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke announced a separate initiative within the city, making $250,000 available for individuals providing tips and information that lead to successful convictions in extortion-related cases. The reward money will be distributed among informants based on the value of the shared information, aiming to encourage community cooperation in combatting extortion.