Gun violence remains a significant public safety concern for the EPS and is the reason the Service continues to work on the Guns and Gangs Strategy 2023-2025.
The strategy lays out a three-year plan to address firearm violence and gang-related crime in the city through three pillars: focused deterrence, investigative excellence, and young people intervention.
It includes short- and long-term solutions that hold those responsible for violence and criminal activities accountable while bolstering EPS’ investigative process, enhancing cross-agency collaboration, and exercising focused deterrence to persuade frequent offenders to exit criminal lifestyles.
The strategy includes the addition of 19 officers to bolster the Organized Crime Branch and increase capacity to address gang activities, shootings and other firearms offences, drug trafficking, extortion and other crimes perpetrated by criminal networks. This will be funded over 2024-26.
Sgt. Ryan Ferry awarded for guns and gangs suppression efforts
Organized crime enforcement, intervention, diversion, suppression, community engagement – it all speaks volumes to the work Sgt. Ryan Ferry has done to contribute to reducing gang and violence activity in the community.
In October, Sgt. Ferry was awarded the Jim Aspiotis Memorial Award
Disarming Edmonton Gangs
In October, Sgt. Ferry and the Gang Suppression Team were featured in a special three-part series produced by Global News called Disarming Edmonton Gangs.
All three parts can be viewed here.